


Akatsuki

by tsubasa_quill



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment, Johnny's Jr.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Childhood Friends, Coming of Age, Crystals, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-14 13:16:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 46
Words: 64,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5745265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsubasa_quill/pseuds/tsubasa_quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yuto, the beloved prince of the Kingdom of Akatsuki, dreams of adventures and of becoming a fine king someday. His daily routine is composed of lessons, making mischief and generally being a lovable brat. He has what every young prince wishes for... doting parent, the adoration of his people, a wonderful older-brother-type guardian, a baker skilled enough to satisfy his sweet tooth and the massive confines of his castle to play in. The love is overbearing, especially when everyone is intent on making sure he never leaves the castle walls. They believe he is too fragile for the outside world. Still, life is great when you have everyone responding to your every whim. That is until that boy, Ryosuke arrives. A rather cold and unfriendly kitchen boy who would rather sit all day and peel potatoes than be his playmate.</p>
<p>But like every other story... there is always more to a meeting than meets the eye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Of Royal Naps and Kitchen Boys

**Author's Note:**

> I started posting this on my livejournal account like a while back and now that it's finally finished I thought of inaugurating my account here with this.
> 
> It's heavily influenced by an original that never made it past initial draft, my obsession with Japanese RPGs and has influences from stuff I've read/watched/grew up on but the plot and characterization are my own hard work. It got more complicated then I originally planned and took me a few years to complete mostly because I was at college and all that time management and stuff. This was meant to tie in with Nakajima's birthday back in 2011... but it got too long. Since it took a while... there is a slight change in my... vocab and grammer and all over time. I went from seriously silly trying to be epic to trying too hard to be epic. Sorry *shrugs*
> 
> Also,   
> I know I've specified the pairings but I just want to say that my style of writing is always more "implied" then direct when it comes to feelings. Love has many types and its kinda complicated right XD But just so you know... YutoYama is a bigger deal here then most. But all of Jump is here and they all love each other anyway so yeah... enjoy.
> 
> Note: Expect royalty, mutiny, mages, struggling guilds, a lot of the word 'crystals' and 'power' and an amateur's attempt at a fantasy novella starring Johnnys.

 

_Long ago, a traveler stumbled upon a hill overlooking a magnificent land that came to life when the sun rose from behind him, spilling it’s radiance over the vast green meadows and slithering blue rivers. He took a deep sigh and placed his arms around his beloved, aware of the small group of people unloading their luggage from the horses and carts in his wake._

_‘This is where we will begin a new life, this earth is where our generations will walk upon and care for, this our new home, the kingdom of the dawn; Akatsuki.’_

“And that My Prince, is how our first leader, your great great great great grandfather came to stumble upon this Kingdom…My Prince? Your highness?”  
 

The wrinkles on the scholar’s forehead deepened as he observed the 7 year old boy’s sleeping face, flat against the table with drool dripping from the side of his pink lips. His snoring was pretty audible as well.  
 

“Um, I think he’s asleep Lord Shieldson,”  
 

The man gave his apprentice a look.  
 

“I can very well see that Kouta,” he said with a sigh as the boy nodded his head in apology.  
 

“I guess that means the lesson’s over for today,” the scholar announced, shutting the thick book with a snap. The sleeping boy’s eyes flew open and he sat up with a start.  
 

“I did it! I tore the flour bags in the Pantry! I swear it was an accident!”  
 

He blinked his eyes groggily, seeming rather confused at the two people staring at him, one with amusement; the other with utmost horror.  
 

The prince let out a small ‘oh’ as he realized where he was.  
 

“Well your Highness, I’m sure the kitchen staff took care of that little problem, now I hope you will do your reading and I will see you after a day’s break,”  
 

Kouta bowed low as his master exited the library.  
 

“HAAAAAAA-ow long did I take for my royal nap?” yawned the little prince as he stretched contently. His older companion reflected for a bit.

“Hmm, I think it was when he…went into the second paragraph of your history lesson,” he replied blatantly and shook his head as the drowsy boy gave him a lopsided grin.  
 

“You should be paying more attention to your studies Prince Yuto, it’s an essential part of your training in become the future King,”  
 

“I know I know Kou-nii but its booooooooooring! I hate being stuck in the palace all day and having to read through all these thick books,”  
 

“We could go to the gardens and you may ride your horse,”  
 

“Please Kou-nii, it’s a Shetland pony…I know mom used to dress me up in frocks when I was a kid but please, at least _you_ shouldn’t handle me like I’m some delicate flower,”  
 

Kouta frowned at the pout on the prince’s face. He held back a smile as an idea crept into his head.  
 

“Hey, wanna go nick some cupcakes from the kitchen?”  
 

He laughed as the boy sprang to his feet.  
 

~*~  
 

“Quickly people, we have 2 hours before lunch and I want everyone on their stations now!”  
 

A nine year old boy sat cross legged on a rather tall stool, staring at the ground. He stretched his feet, trying to touch the tiled floor with his toes.  
 

The kitchen was the busiest place in the Palace. Whether it’d be breakfast, lunch, tea or supper, the head chef always stood in command of his own little army. He would keep an eye on his underlings, the ovens, the trainees, the stoves and the water storage to make sure everyone and everything was doing their job right.  
 

The dishes and goblets and cutlery had to be washed clean and dried, the bread and the meat roasted to perfection, the cakes and sweets dainty and tantalizing, the stew just thick enough, the vegetables fresh, the fruits juicy and his son…he had to make sure his little boy kept his head out of things.  
 

Enthusiastic as the little child was, he was still too young to shoulder any responsibility in this place. He pitied him though as he knew the boy was just lonely. Growing up around his busy father, with no other to call family except for the rest of the kitchen staff who were like him, mostly busy…he could understand why the boy would just want to be considered an adult already and be allowed to work.  
 

He smiled fondly as he spotted him in a corner, sulking on a tall stool.  
 

Well, he hoped, as from today... things would change.  
 

“Daiki!”  
 

The boy’s ears perked up as he heard his name from within the clamour. Jumping off the stool he dashed towards his father, staring up at him expectantly.  
 

“I have a very important job for you my boy,”  
 

“Really?” the young one gasped in disbelief. The chef laughed at the way his child’s big dark brown eyes widened further in anticipation.  
 

“A close friend of mine has asked me for a favour, but I’m afraid with all this work…I will be neglecting it,”  
 

“You should not break a promise papa!” the boy scolded in his chirpy voice, hands on his hips. The man shook his head and chuckled. The child could be so much like his mother at times.  
 

“That’s why I have you my boy, you are the one to shoulder all my responsibilities one day…and so…why not start with this?”

The boy looked thoughtful. He made a face as someone passed by and pinched his cheek really quickly.  
 

“Fine, as long as it’s not standing in a corner and counting till one thousand and four hundred and thirty two,”  
 

Blinking at the retort, he laughed as the boy continued eyeing him seriously.  
 

“No no, it’s nothing like that,” he replied, still laughing and guided his child to a corner by a door that opened up into the gardens.  
 

“My friend’s nephew was recently orphaned…he’s a young boy, a little younger than you. Due to circumstances she will not be able to care for him so she asked me if I could give him work here, now…I can’t have an inexperienced member joining my team now can I?”  
 

“Of course not!” piped little Daiki.  
 

“Yes, so I decided that my Daiki could train the boy!”  
 

“Really?”  
 

“Are you up for it?”  
 

“Of course, where is the little brat?”  
 

“Woah, easy there, you have to be nice okay? He’s most probably on his way as we speak,”  
 

~*~  
 

“Stop fidgeting boy, we’re almost there…now you better be on your best behavior understood?”  
 

The small boy looked away, his eyes flashing nothing but utmost hatred for the woman sitting next to him. He gazed out at the massive castle as it drew closer, their rocking carriage making its way down a small pebbled path flanking the towering walls of the building. They entered through a small gate and followed the path till it ended at a large Oak doorway.  
 

The boy craned his neck a bit and sniffed the delicious air, feeling his stomach grumble. Jumping slightly in surprise he sunk further into his seat as he spotted a curious pair of eyes staring his way. He resorted to watching his 'aunt' as she descended the carriage and in her sickeningly sweet voice greeted the man standing at the entrance way to the kitchen.  
 

“Is he here?” he heard the man’s gruff voice and felt a nervous tremble shake his little body.  
 

“Yes, in the carriage... he’s very shy the little angel,”  
 

The boy cocked an eyebrow. _Angel?_  
 

“Ryosuke dear, please come out now,”  
 

He took in a deep breath and pushed the door open before jumping down. He miscalculated the height and slipped unceremoniously onto the loose pebbles, falling smack on his face.  
 

“Oh…he’s a little clumsy,” the woman said nervously. The chef chuckled.  
 

“I can see that,”  
 

Ryosuke remained sprawled on the ground, turning his head to a side to hide his flushing face.  
 

_Way to make a great first impression Ryosuke.  
_

  
“You okay?”

Surprised, he turned his head and looked up into the owner of those curious pair of eyes. Dumbfounded, he stared at the hand offered to him as if it were some alien behavior.  
 

“What’s wrong?” Daiki asked with a frown.

Ryosuke bit his lip, the older boy looked offended. He grabbed the arm immediately and allowed himself to be pulled back onto his feet. He flinched as a sharp pain coursed through his right knee.  
 

“Well Dai-chan?” the chef asked as he and the woman watched the way the boy observed the newcomer. Ryosuke looked away from the boring gaze of the older, his face turning redder by the minute.  
 

What was that darn woman thinking? They won’t accept him. He probably looked like a rugged, rowdy street boy with dirt and cuts on his face and a bruised knee in contrast to the clean and properly dressed Daiki.  
 

The chef’s son’s next words though made him stare at the latter with an expression or utmost disbelief and horror.  
 

“He looks like a little bunny, I wanna keep him.”


	2. Bows and Ponies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention during the previous notes (*cough*actually i didn't want notes to be as long as the chapter itself you know*cough*)...
> 
> there are four arcs... this is the first one aka the Childhood Arc.

“Does it hurt?” Daiki asked curiously.   
  
He was seated next to the newcomer on the edge of his bed, swinging his legs and trying his best to hide his excitement but very obviously failing. Ryosuke shook his head in response, keeping his eyes fixed upon the woman that was tending to his knee. Daiki narrowed his eyes as he spotted how tightly the younger boy had clenched his hands.  
  
“If it hurts then why don’t you just say it?”   
  
The boy didn’t seem to want to budge as the woman finished placing a medicated cloth around his joint. Shrugging, Daiki took the time to scrutinize the boy’s rather un-kept appearance. His hair were shiny and an interesting shade of black that seemed to have a brownish tinge under the sunlight streaming in from the only window of his small room. They were unusually long though, the tips of his strands gently brushing his shoulders. He realized that they successfully covered his face when the boy had his head bowed low. Maybe that was the motive after all.  
  
“You’ve got really long hair,”  
  
The woman got to her feet and gave the boy a motherly pat on the head.  
  
“There, that should do for now…you be careful okay? I need to get back to work, it seems like some of my cupcakes have mysteriously disappeared once again,”  
  
The boy nodded rather stiffly in return.   
  
“Thank you Izumi-san,” Daiki piped up cheerily and giggled as the woman gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. Ryosuke gave him a rather disgusted look, one that he missed as he waved to the departing woman.  
  
“Now,” Daiki began rounding upon him. Ryosuke turned away quickly, hiding his face behind his mass of hair.  
  
“Let me tie all that up its distracting,”   
  
Ryosuke scurried backwards onto the bed, stiffening as he felt the wall behind him and eyes widening in fear as Daiki approached him with a huge blue hair bow.  
  
“Keep that thing away from me you weirdo!” he screeched. Daiki stopped in his progress, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
“I knew you could speak!" he exclaimed triumphantly. He chuckled at the still horrified expression of the younger.  
  
"Oh don’t worry,” he continued as he flung the bow into a basket all the way across the room with amazing accuracy.  
  
“I’m a man too, I would never dishonor a fellow mate,”  
  
Feeling his heartbeat calm slightly, Ryosuke continued staring at the other boy in disbelief.  
  
“Still, they will most probably chop your tresses off sometime or another, the kitchen has strict rules about tidiness,”  
  
“I don’t really care, as long as you keep things like THAT…,” he barked, pointing an accusing finger at the bow that lay innocently in the   
basket. “…away from me.”  
  
“Deal,” Daiki chuckled plopping himself down before the terrified boy, a little too close for his comfort. He stuck out a hand. If he wasn’t   
already creeped out by the excessive friendliness, the next sentence caught him completely off guard.  
  
“I’m Daiki, and I’ll be your big brother from now on!”  
  
“Huh?”

~*~

  
“Wait Kou-nii,”  
  
“What is it your Grace?”  
  
Yuto pouted, continuously squeezing his horse’s flanks and scowled as his pony refused to budge.  
  
“I think Sheri’s gone to sleep again,”  
  
The ten year old rolled his eyes and scooped the prince up into his arms and onto the ground.  
  
“We’ll just let her rest for now okay?”  
  
“Fine,” the prince grumbled, seated on the grass with his arms crossed against his chest.  
  
He watched as Kouta struggled to pull the stubborn horse towards a large apple tree in an attempt to tie the reins. He took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air course through his lungs. He ran his gaze upon the vast grounds. It had always been his favourite past time; riding through the fruit orchards with his Kou-nii that is. He had been doing that ever since he was a mere lad of four. He wondered when they would let him ride a real horse. Like the big ones the castle knights rode.   
  
Besides the huff and puff from his older companion, his ears picked up a distant sound of a bang.  
  
“Kou-nii, did you hear that?”  
  
Kouta panted as he approached the prince.  
  
“Yes my Lord, the shooting range and the castle barracks are right at the end of the orchards, their probably practicing,”  
  
“Like with real guns?”  
  
Kouta frowned as he realized where this would lead to and shook his head. Yuto hung his head in resignation.  
  
“Maybe, when you’re older,”  
  
“I hate that phrase,” Yuto mumbled. Turning his head a bit his eyes widened as he spotted something amongst the thick leaves of a nearby   
tree.  
  
“Kou-nii,” he whispered fearfully. Kouta withdrew a dagger from within his coat and stood protectively before Yuto. He gulped audibly before forcing out a throaty;  
  
“Who’s there?”  
  
A yelp followed by a loud thud made them both scream and hug each other tightly.   
  
“Itai,”  
  
Both boys, still locked in an embrace gaped at the figure sprawled onto the ground. Leaves rained over him as he rubbed his head, face scrunched up in pain.  
  
“Who in the world are you?” Kouta gasped letting go of Yuto and facing the fallen boy. The prince peeked down from his shoulder interestedly.  
  
“What’s it to you?” came the grouchy reply as the boy straightened his back and leaned against the tree. He held out a hand as an apple fell into it and began rubbing it against his shirt.  
  
“Apple thief!” Kouta announced and brandished his dagger. The boy gave him a weird look before biting into the fruit.  
  
“For your information,” he began, munching and enjoying how Kouta’s face contorted into one of displeasure.  
  
“I work here,”  
  
Kouta scrutinized the much smaller figure and ignoring Yuto’s whisper of “so cute” he put up a strict face.  
  
“Your name?”  
  
“Like I said, what’s it to you?”  
  
Kouta took a deep breath to calm his nerves, after all, the only way to handle rude little boys was to show them who’s boss.  
  
“I am Kouta, son of the royal Knight Shunsuke and apprentice of the scholar Shieldson,”  
  
“Nice to meet you,”  
  
Yuto giggled but was silenced with a glare from his older companion.  
  
“Before my patience runs out, who are you?”  
  
“Ryosuke, I collect apples and stuff for the head baker Izumi, I’m currently on break and hiding from my extremely weird new brother…not as   
impressive as yours but it will do, right?”  
  
Kouta clenched his fists. _The nerve of the boy_! He gasped though, as realization hit him.  
  
“You’re the new orphan boy?”  
  
Kouta bit his toungue at the pained look in the boy’s eyes. It vanished in a minute though as the boy continued munching, but it left a gaping hole in his heart.  
  
“I mean, Daiki’s new brother,”  
  
“Dai-chan has a brother now? He didn’t tell me! That meanie!” Yuto whined. He lunged forwards and caught Ryosuke by surprise by grabbing onto his hand.  
  
“Let’s go find your big brother and beat him up Ryosuke-chan!”  
  
Kouta gave the boy a pitying look as he was reluctantly dragged away by the hyper prince.   
  
“Now…where did I tie Sherie up again?”


	3. The Hidden and the Unseen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OCs. Guy is more prominent as a role... the girl not as much but important nonetheless. Also neither are anyone's love interests.

The man placed his hands in his pockets, eyes fixed upon the two graves that lay before him. His commander had said that it was not required, but he couldn’t just leave them like that.   
  
The wind was beginning to pick up and he knew that he should be leaving soon. Somebody might see him. But then again, who would care? People in the kingdom were all too concerned about their own lives to care about who died and who disappeared without a trace.  
They had been a nice couple though, friendly, caring and selfless…a rare kind if he may add. Even as they lay taking their last breaths upon the floor of their own home, they had seemed peaceful as if they had long prepared for their end and had no regrets to leave behind. How he wished he had stopped his companions though, at least long enough to know how the little one was doing.  
  
He smiled slightly, his lips curving in a manner that would make most girls swoon and brushed his raven black bangs from his forehead. He fingered the slight cut down the side of his lips, the only flaw on his face, and ran his toungue experimentally over it, flinching as it still tasted like blood.  
  
He had no regrets either, he thinks holding up the broadsword in his grasp and watching his electrifying blue eyes reflected on its metal surface. It was ironic though, since he had become more of a mercenary than a soldier at the age of 17 nonetheless. But he was a man with a definite mission, and even if he had to die doing it…like this couple…he would have no regrets.  
  
Because after all, it was to protect a fragile spirit…be it as a soldier or as a mercenary.   
  
“Wherever you are…I hope you’re doing well… Ryosuke.”

  
~*~

  
“My lady, I have brought the girl,”  
  
Lady Hana looked up from the paper she had been working on and smiled as she spotted the two people that had entered her office. The sunlight that came streaming in from the stained glass window behind her gave the girl’s blood red kimono a beautiful glow. The little girl herself though, had her hands clutched together tightly, and she could clearly see how badly she was trembling.  
  
She sighed in understanding. She was once that little girl. She took a few gentle steps and settled herself onto the ground in front of her.   
  
“What is your name my dear?” she asked kindly.  
  
“Ka…Kaede…your Majesty,”  
  
“Don’t be afraid Kaede, now tell me do you know why you are here?”  
  
The girl shook her head.  
  
“You have been chosen to serve your country Kaede, you have been entrusted a very important task,”  
  
She smiled at the confusion in the girl’s face.  
  
“You have been chosen to replace me,”  
  
The girl continued staring at the elegant woman as if she had heard wrong.  
  
“In time, you will learn to understand and appreciate the importance of your duty to your kingdom, and I will guide you along the way,”  
  
Hana placed a motherly hand on Kaede’s head and got to her feet.  
  
“Hiroshi,”  
  
“Yes my Lady?” said the man who had brought Kaede in.  
  
“Take my future daughter-in-law to the Sealed Chamber, she needs to see **_It_** ,”  
  
The man bowed.  
  
“As you wish my Queen.”

  
~*~


	4. Don’t Look Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks

 

_He sits on the floor and watches as his parents bar up the doors and the windows, turning down the glowing lamps._

 

  
 _“Mama…what at are you doing?” he asks, head tilted to the side in curiosity._  
  
  
The woman halts in her tracks and turns to him. He is astonished to see the always calm and smiling face now pale and fear stricken. She sits down before him as her husband stands by the door, a gun in his hand.

 

  
_“My baby, there are…certain people, bad people who don’t like us,”_

 

  
_“Why? Did I ever break their windows with my ball?”_

 

  
_She smiles slightly, it’s a weak smile but it’s enough as she reaches for the small figure and pulls the seven year old against her wildly thumping heart._

 

  
_“Is it because of what I did at the festival?”_

 

  
_“Your father and I love you so much Ryosuke, so, so very much, you’re our most beloved child,”_

 

  
_“I’m your only child mama,”_

 

  
_She laughs, it sounds rather strangled as she tries to hold in her tears. Her boy should not see her tears._

 

  
_She jumps and tightens her grasp around him as there is loud banging on the door._

 

  
_“Open up you fools, that demon is not worth protecting!”_

 

  
_“They sound really angry,” Ryosuke whispers fearfully. His father squats down next to them and pulls him close as his mother releases him. He gently kisses the top of his head and looks at his son’s watery brown eyes._

 

  
_“We will say goodbye now Ryosuke,”_   
  
  
  
_“Goodbye?” the boy squeaks alarmed. The banging intensifies and a few shots ring through the air._

 

  
_“We love you Ryosuke, but now it’s time for you to leave your nest, these people are dangerous, and you need to go somewhere far, to a new family,”_

 

  
_“I don’t want a new family,” Ryosuke cries launching himself into his father’s arms. The man wipes away a stubborn tear._

 

  
_“You need to become stronger my son, stronger and wiser and braver…you are a very special boy Ryosuke and out there are people who need you, how much you have no idea…, but for that to happen my child…we will have to let you go,”_

 

  
_The wood on the door cracks as the men outside continue in their efforts to break in._

 

  
_Ryosuke watches as his mother unhooks the pendant around her neck. It was a delicate trinket; a beautiful but roughly cut black stone hanging from a soft silver chain. His father flings aside the carpet and to his surprise pulls up a slab of the wooden flooring revealing an underground passageway._

 

  
_His mother holds up a glowing lamp and gives him a kiss before handing the lamp to him. His father then helps him down into the cold and dark passageway._

 

  
_“This tunnel will lead you to a small cabin at the edge of the city, your aunt Haru will be there  waiting, she will take you to your new family,”_

 

  
_“But I don’t like aunt Haru, and she doesn’t like me…and what if I get lost…it’s so dark in here,”_

 

  
_“Trust your instincts my child, no matter how dark the path is you will always find your way out,”_

 

  
_He looks up at his parents, eyes blurry for he must have cried a river already._

 

  
_“Promise us that you’ll be strong and please Ryosuke…don’t look back,”_

 

  
_He sees his mother break down as the wooden slab is closed upon him and the blue light of his lamp intensified as the carpet is drawn over. A small crack in the floor escaped the cover though and as the door breaks down, Ryosuke finds himself rooted to the spot, eyes peering out at the room visible from the crack. He watches as armedmen rush into his house. He watches them break the windows and kick thefurniture. An adolescent with blue eyes was the only one standing immobile, eyes scanning the area. Ryosuke’s eyes widen as those electrifying blue pupils meet his. He feels his heart throb in his chest at the fear of being discovered but the young man just removes his gaze._

 

  
_He sees a burlesque figure of a man with a heavy broadsword in one hand and a gun in the other. Upon his vest was a strange crest of sorts._   
  


 

  
_“Where is the brat?” he barks._

 

  
_“We’ve killed him and buried him, it’s what you wanted isn’t it?” he hears his father shout._

 

  
_“Stop messing with me!”_

 

  
_“We’re not messing with you, he is no longer here with us…,”_

 

  
_“Captain, let’s go…,” says the adolescent._

 

  
_“Silence Zach…all of you…search the perimeter, every house in the city…now go!”_

 

  
_His men leave the house, with the captain and the blue eyed Zach remaining._

 

  
_“Now, you do know what happens to traitors right?”_

 

  
_“My wife and I have done nothing wrong,”_   
  
  
  
_The man shakes his_ _head before plunging his blade into the other’s heart, the woman screams but is_ _silenced as a deafening bang resounds through the air._

 

  
_Ryosuke drops his lamp as the two bodies fall upon the floor._

 

  
_“What was that?” the captain exclaims._

 

  
_“I dropped my dagger,” Zach replies, bending down and pretending to pick his dagger up._

 

  
_“You better get used to this boy, us soldiers have to perform duties for our country…now let’s go before a crowd gathers here,”_

 

  
_“If I may captain, I would like to bury them…it’s disrespectful to leave bodies behind like this,”_

 

  
_“It is not necessary,”_

 

  
_“I would stall the villagers as you leave as well,”_

 

  
_The man sighs before cleaning his sword and sheathing it._

 

  
_“Fine, we’ll meet at the guild,”_

 

  
_Just as the man disappears from sight, Zach leans towards the two on the floor and gently closes their eyes._

 

  
_“Leave, hurry,” he says quietly._

 

  
_Ryosuke stumbles in the dark, sobbing continuously as he feels his way down the dark tunnel._

 

  
**_“Trust your instincts my child, no matter how dark the path is you will always find your way out,”_ **

 

Ryosuke leaned against the wall. The small room was alighted by the morning sunrays that made their way inside through the window right next to him. Besides the hustle and bustle of the kitchen downstairs, and the chirping of the birds in the gardens, he felt completely at peace. He pulled out a pendent from within his trouser pocket and gazed at it longingly.

 

  
_“Where are we going aunt Haru?”_

 

  
_“A friend of mine migrated to a Kingdom to the south of ours, they are welcoming foreign workers as of the moment so it will be easy for me to sneak you out and into that country,”_

 

  
_“We’re leaving home?”_   
  
  
  
_“You’re home doesn’t_ _want you anymore boy but that friend of mine has agreed to adopt you, he’s a_ _very nice gentleman so you better give a good impression,”_

 

 

  
“You seem rather out of it today, more than usual I mean,”  
  


 

His head snapped up as he spotted Daiki at the doorway of the room they shared. He shook his head as the older boy plopped down on his own bed opposite to Ryosuke’s.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“How was your mom like?”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Just curious,”

 

Daiki gave him a playfully suspicious look before leaning back against the wall.

 

“I only remember a bit, I was very young when she…you know…we used to live somewhere else but then my dad brought me here after she left,”

 

“My mom’s name was Miko…well…,”

 

Daiki looked at him encouragingly. It had been almost 5 years since Ryosuke first arrived here, but the boy had never ever openly talked about his past.

 

“I was adopted, as a baby…my real parents didn’t want me…my real mother’s name was Ayane but I’ve no memories of her because Miko-san and my adopted father Suoh-san brought me home when I was a few days old, this pendant…,”

 

Daiki stared interestedly as Ryosuke held up the trinket.

 

“It was originally Ayane-san’s but she gave it to Miko-san, I once heard my parents talking and…my real mother gave me away because she was afraid of me…I don’t know why…but…,”

 

Daiki stared intently as Ryosuke’s voice broke.

 

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it,”

 

Ryosuke nodded, slipping the trinket back into his pocket.

 

“You know, I guess Ayane used to be a very popular name back then,” Daiki said cheerily.

 

“It was?” Ryosuke asked interestedly. Daiki nodded.

 

“Cause my mom’s name was Ayane too,”

 

Both boys jumped as a stone came flying in through the window between their beds and landed onto the floor. Ryosuke face palmed as Daiki giggled.

 

“Romeo’s here,”

 

“Stop calling him that it’s disgusting!” Ryosuke muttered getting to his feet. He poked his head out of the window just as a pebble came whizzing in, striking his forehead.

 

“Iii-tai,”

 

He poked his head out of the window and glared at the ground one floor below, doing his best to ignore the Daiki rolling on the floor and laughing himself to tears.

 

“You could have struck my eye,”

 

“I didn’t did I?”

 

He narrowed his eyes at the cheeky grin on the boy’s face.

 

“What do you want Your Highness?”

 

“Come play with me,”

 

“I’m tired,”

 

“Come or I will tell my guards to forcefully bring you to me,”

 

Ryosuke sighed as Daiki struggled to his feet, hand on his aching stomach.

 

“Go before he brings in a Trojan horse to retrieve you,”

 

“Shut it,”

 

He glowered at the older boy as he made his way to the door.

 

“Come back before evening, we have to do the last touches for the prince’s 12th birthday celebration tomorrow,”

 

“Hai hai, it shouldn’t take too long, he probably just wants to play kick the guard’s helmet again,”

 

Daiki shook his head with a chuckle as he watched his brother descend the stairs.

 

“Poor Ryosuke.”

 

  
  
  
 ~*~


	5. Escapade

A lonely sparrow took flight from its nest in the royal gardens, soaring above the castle’s intimidating barricades. It flapped its wings, gaining altitude to where the view below was of a patchwork of blocks in the shade of cherry oak contrasting starkly with the pallor of the cobblestone streets. The clouds parted at various points, letting through beams of sunlight that illuminated the sharp colours of life that thronged the many lanes and alleys. The bird finally came to alight on the balcony of a simple shop house, glad to finally be a part of the animation of the ground. It was few seconds later though, that a high-pitched giggle from the adjoining street spurred a new journey for peace.  

 “This so exciting!”

Ryosuke gulped, feeling fear rearing its ugly head at the pit of his stomach. He was not sure as to why he was so worried. He was following the prince’s wishes after all; there was no need to feel like he had gotten himself and most probably his brother into huge trouble.  
Another giggle made him eye the twirling prince with disdain. He was _so_ done for.

“Ryo-chan, what’s wrong?” Yuto queried cutely, bouncing towards his fidgety friend. Ryosuke gave him a sour look.

“If I get executed for this-umph!”

He stumbled as the lanky child latched onto him, tightening his hold with a grin.

“Ryo-chan, you’re my best best _best_ friend ever!”

‘And you’re the most manipulative 12 year old I’ve ever met,’ Ryosuke thought miserably as Yuto jumped off him and pulled his hood lower onto his face, gazing around the street like a child in a candy shop. He hoped Daiki would not notice that his cloak had gone missing, at least long enough for them to return.

“Are you seriously telling me you’ve never left the castle?”

Yuto rounded upon him, eyes big, round and full of melancholy.

“No,” he sighed, posing dramatically.

“Why?”

Yuto shrugged.

“Apparently, I was very weak as a baby and the healers told me that if I stray too far from home, I’ll fall sick,”

Ryosuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at the revelation.

“Knowing that…you’d risk getting me into trouble?”

“Do you only think about yourself?” Yuto shot back, silencing the boy. As Ryosuke began to drown in his little puddle of guilt, Yuto, completely unperturbed at the awkwardness he had caused happily dusted himself before hooking an arm around the slightly shorter figure’s.

“Now, let’s take me around town!”

Yuto felt as if his mouth would tire from all the smiling. His gaze swept everything in the periphery, from _the strange pale chunks of stones in the lampposts_ , to the buntings and wreaths made from blue feathers hanging from balcony to balcony. There were peddlers on the sidewalks selling trinkets, hawkers roasting nuts and sausages and little children running around sporting paper crowns. The shops were packed, whether they be boutiques, eateries or multipurpose stores.

“Is it always this busy?” Yuto asked bemused as he realized Ryosuke, like him was gaping at everything like a guppy fish.

“No, I guess it’s because of Your Highness’s celebration tomorrow, I heard they are planning to celebrate it like a festival,”

“But…I’m just turning twelve…what’s the big deal in that? You’re probably turning twelve soon too right?”

Ryosuke gave him a look.

“I admire your humbleness, and no I’m not turning twelve, I already am,”

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhh?”

“What?”

“You’re older than me?”

“You sound surprised,”

“But you’re shorter!”

Flabbergasted, Ryosuke scowled at the pout on Yuto’s face.

“Since when has height been a measure of age?”

“Well, you do sound like an old man sometimes,”

“What are you saying? It’s not making any sense!”

“It’s not supposed to,”

Ryosuke slammed his head against a nearby pillar. Yuto chuckled.

“You need to relax a bit Ryo-chan,”

The older boy sighed deeply, forehead still pressed against the pillar.

“Feeling better?” Yuto asked kindly.

“Yeah, but I hurt my head,”

Yuto’s eyes widened as he spotted a very pretty display of trinkets a foot from where they stood.

 “Come, let’s get something from there,” he exclaimed excitedly.

“Why…they’re roadside accessories…is a prince supposed to even wear that?” Ryosuke asked bemused. Ignoring the developing bruise on the older boy’s forehead, Yuto gave him a look of indignation.

“They were made by the hardwork of my people; I will be more than honoured!”

Ryosuke blinked at the cloaked figure as he pranced towards the stall and sighed in wonder, understanding a bit of why this little boy’s 12th birthday meant so much. He was this Kingdom’s future…and a loud and noisy one at that. Yuto gave him a frown and an impatient wave of the hand to which he responded immediately.

“What do you want to buy?” he asked the prince. After a few minutes of frowning and pouting, Yuto gave up.

“You choose,”

“What if you don’t like it?” Ryosuke responded exasperated.

“It doesn’t matter, you will like what you pick for yourself right?”

“Myself?”

“Ya, since I missed your birthday…I’m ordering you to buy yourself a birthday present!” Yuto announced proudly. Ryosuke rolled his eyes.

The peddler, who had been too busy talking to a companion finally turned his gaze onto Yuto.

“What would you like young man?” he asked with a cheery smile. Yuto glared at Ryosuke who was taking forever to pick an accessory (because he was trying to calculate how much he would have to loose from his wallet) and so he asked;

“What would you recommend?”

The man ran his hands over his products before coming to a stop over a pair of jeweled broaches. Ryosuke bit his lip…there goes his allowance.

“My my, you see boy I have a gift of picking the right ornaments for people…these two were my rarest pieces and I haven’t been able to pick anyone for them yet,”

‘So you want to get rid of an obvious failure by selling it to a couple of young idiots,’ Ryosuke thought matter-of-factly.

“What are they?” Yuto asked curiously, eyes widened in wonder. One broach was of zircon with half a butterfly wing in white and the other was of ruby with the other half wing in black.

“The hunter who sold it to me said that it was infused with traces of the some ancient power that runs deep within our city, if two people with a strong bond hold each piece it will tell them when the distance between them gets too much,”

“Really?” Yuto gasped amazed, Ryosuke rolled his eyes, tugging at his hood.

_‘Naïve boy,’_

“It will be perfect for you and your pretty girlfriend there,”

Yuto slapped his hands onto his mouth to suppress a strong urge to laugh at the horrified look on Ryosuke’s face.

“Was it something I said?” the man asked confused as the fuming boy stomped away.

Sniggering, Yuto shook his head and paid the man. He looked at where the boy had turned into a side lane and set off immediately, maneuvering through the crowd.

“Oii, chotto Ryo-chan!”

  
Yuto stumbled in his steps, a sudden wave of dizziness overtaking him. He squinted against the heaviness of his eyelids but could make out no familiar face.  He pushed himself forwards, turning into the first alley that came to view. It was a deserted lane between two shop houses with nothing but the ends of rain pipes and a dumpster.

“Ryo…suke,” he called out weakly, leaning against the wall for support. Feeling his vision dimming, he squatted onto the ground, clutching his head. A sudden fear held him. He scanned the busy street from which he had come anxiously, feeling alone and vulnerable all of a sudden.

“Ryosuke,” he called again, breaking into sobs. He heard the crunch of shoes on gravel but was too afraid to look up. The steps seemed too heavy to be his friend’s.

“Hey there little boy, are you lost?”

Yuto tugged at his hood nervously, holding himself close. He could see two pairs of feet standing before him, but kept his face low. He had heard of there being bad people in the city from Kou-nii but he had always found it hard to believe. If their kingdom was as peaceful and prosperous as the royal council always boasted, then why would there be any bad people in the city?

“Come on little one, we’ll treat you to some cherry ice! How’s that sound?”

“I don’t talk to strangers,” he mumbled and flinched as the two burst into laughter.

“Come on Toshi, we’re wasting time, he’s just a kid!” one of the men spoke.

“Check out the clothes he has under that cloak Jun, they’re probably worth enough to feed a village for days…he’s probably the kid of some aristocrat,”

“How much do you think his family would pay for ransom?”

Yuto bit a trembling lip and thought about screaming for help until the roaring thunder overhead dashed his hopes. When had the sky darkened he had not realized. He jumped as an arm nudged his and yelped as it was held in a strong grip.

“Let’s go brat, unless you want to be cut to pieces and left here to rot,”

“Let me go!” he yelled as the man closest to him attempted to pull him onto his feet. An exclamation of pain from the man named Jun made Toshi release the struggling boy.

“What?” Toshi snapped as Jun rubbed his head. They both turned towards the entrance of the alley and Yuto’s eyes widened as Ryosuke stood there, bouncing a stone in his hand.

“You wanna mess with us kid?”

“You wanna keep messing with my friend?”

“Check out the nerve of this pipsqueak Toshi!”

All three jumped as Yuto turned his head away and puked the contents of his breakfast onto the ground.

The two men grimaced and looked at each other, coming to a silent agreement before walking away. Ryosuke rushed to Yuto’s side.

“Are you alright?” he asked anxiously as Yuto wiped his mouth. The prince shook his head, sobbing.

“I’ve never felt this horrible in my whole life,” he cried miserably. Ryosuke sighed, looking up at the sky as it began to drizzle. Placing his arms around the younger boy he realized that the prince had a high fever and so he took off his cloak and covered Yuto’s trembling figure.

“Get on my back, I’m taking you home.”

                                                                                                                           ~*~


	6. Flicker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Arc 1.

Kouta sat upon the chair provided for him, hands folded upon his lap, back straight against the support and eyes upon the frail body on the large poster bed.  
  
“Just one day my prince, I leave you for one day and this is what you do to yourself,” he sighed. He jumped slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder and upon spotting the King he got onto his feet and bowed low.  
  
“Forgive my incompetence your Majesty,”  
  
The king shook his head, gently patting the adolescent.  
  
“I cannot blame you ever Kouta, for one so young you have had to shoulder the responsibility of my overzealous son instead of living your own life, something that I should be doing,”  
  
“It is my duty your Majesty, and I find no pain or discomfort in the task,”  
  
The king smiled at the boy’s words.  
  
“And people doubted me when I picked such a young lad as my little boy’s guardian,”  
  
“Still, I let this happen to him,”  
  
“Yuto has to learn to take responsibility for his actions…he knew this is how it would end if he left the castle, maybe now he would value the instructions given to him more,”  
  
“And…that boy sir?”  
  
“He may be the one being blamed for this, but he followed his prince’s command and brought him back in one piece,”  
  
“He could have informed an official, they would have controlled Yuto!”  
  
“And lose their friendship?”  
  
Kouta bowed his head in understanding. Yuto was sometimes too emotional for his own good.  
  
“For now, he has been asked to remain fully attached to his tasks until after the celebration tomorrow, as for Yuto, the ball would keep him busy,”  
  
Kouta nodded as the King gave his son one last look and left the chamber. A sudden shadow flicked upon the floor and it made the boy stare out at the window, alert. He saw nothing but the innocent blue sky and shrugged.  
  
Must have been a bird.

 

~*~

  
Daiki dipped his quill into a bottle of ink and continued to scratch it upon the parchment with much vigilance. His eyes scanned his work, making sure to not miss any flaws in the arrangements for the birthday ball. The flame on the candle flickered slightly as he heaved a deep sigh.

  
There was only one thing left; the cake.  
  
Izumi-san had planned a massive 3 layers of mangoes and vanilla with twelve candles. The frame had been prepared some time back and was now sitting on the main table in the kitchen, waiting to be filled with the confectionary.  
  
He pushed his chair back and stood up to leave for the kitchens to check on the progress of the cake and submit his report to his father when he spotted his younger brother curled up on his bed.  
  
“Are you still sulking about dad telling you off in front of the kitchen staff, don’t be…they all know that Yuto’s trouble,”  
  
He frowned at the lack of response.  
  
“You know, you’re just not allowed to leave the kitchens, you can get off your butt and help us prepare for the ball,”  
  
Daiki puffed up his cheeks as the boy remained on the bed, messy hair covering his face.  
  
“Ryosuke!” he snapped and marched over to him. His fingers had barely touched the other’s surprisingly warm body when Ryosuke sat up with a start, shoving Daiki away forcefully.  
  
“Don’t touch me!”  
  
Daiki scurried backwards against the wall, eyes widened in shock. Ryosuke was staring back at him, a strange fear in his bloody red irises.  
  
“What?” Daiki gasped in disbelief at what he was seeing. Ryosuke’s eyes widened at his reaction and he scrambled towards the mirror on the wall, staring into the glass for a good few minutes before covering his face in his hands.  
  
The clouds parted, giving way to the light of the moon. It shone through the window, countering the golden hue of the candle light and illuminated the silhouettes of the two boys; one still on the ground very much in shock and the other back on his bed, crying silently.  
It took Daiki some good ten minutes to regain his composure. His feet wobbled as he stood up. Taking a deep breath, he carefully made  
his way to his brother’s bed and sat down at the edge.  
  
“This…this is why…this is why my mother didn’t want me…,”  
  
Daiki continued staring at the floor, finding it all hard to comprehend. _What was this_?  
  
“I understand if you don’t want me anymore…,”  
  
“Ryosuke…just what are you?”  
  
The boy bit his trembling lip.  
  
“I…don’t really know…I’ve been called many things…my step parents were killed trying to protect me…the man who killed them called me a demon…maybe that’s-,”  
  
Ryosuke was silenced by the older boy’s palms upon his lips. Daiki shook his head before getting to his feet. He heard Izumi-san call his name and held out a hand to the figure on the bed.  
  
“Let’s go…we have work to do…Ryo-chan,”  
  
Ryosuke blinked up at him a few times and Daiki was surprised and relieved to see his irises resuming a shade of deep brown. He then looked at the hand offered to him hesitantly.  
  
“You’re my little brother aren’t you?” Daiki asked firmly. Ryosuke nodded, wiping the last vestiges of his tears before grasping the hand and letting himself be pulled onto his feet.  
  
Hand in hand the brothers made their way into the kitchen but froze as they spotted the head chef on the floor, surrounded by his underlings. Izumi-san rushed to Daiki and shook him.  
  
“He was just alright, he was completely fine and then he just collapsed!”  
  
“Papa…papa!”  
  
Ryosuke watched in horror as Daiki took big steps and sat by his father, shaking him.  
  
“Papa what’s wrong? Papa!”  
  
Daiki looked up at Izumi-san, panic in his teary eyes.  
  
“He’s so cold…,”  
  
A man in a scarlet robe pushed his way through the staff members and kneeled next to Daiki and his father. He held the man’s hand in his and felt his pulse. Ryosuke stared at the healer’s face with apprehension, feeling his gut twist as he frowned and shook his head with a sad sigh.  
  
“I’m sorry,”  
  
“What?” Daiki croaked, blinking in disbelief. He pulled his father closer, lightly tapping his cheeks.  
  
“What do you mean? He was just fine…I talked to him an hour ago!” the boy argued. Daiki began stroking the man’s hair affectionately and whispering to him to wake up. Izumi-san turned away, unable to take the scene before her. Ryosuke realized nearly everyone around him seem to be in shock and despair before a sensation upon his face made him touch his cheek, finger coming in contact with a stray tear.  
  
One of the cooks tried to approach Daiki but he shrugged her away.  
  
“Don’t come near me, I need to wake him up…there’s work to do!”  
  
Izumi-san broke down as at the healer’s signal two members of the kitchen staff held Daiki back, wrenching him from his father forcefully as some others hoisted the body up.  
  
“Take him to the infirmary for now…someone please help the boy,”  
  
Daiki was thrashing in their hold, yelling at the healer as the man walked away with a solemn face.  
  
“Daiki, it is enough…there’s nothing you can do about it anymore…,” Izumi began miserably.  
  
“YOU’RE LYING!” Daiki spat, silencing the woman. She backed off as Daiki attempted to launch himself towards the door where the procession carrying his father was disappearing from sight. Ryosuke’s body moved on its own accord and he pulled the older boy in a death grip.  
  
“Nii-chan…,” he whispered shakily. Daiki froze at the act, his body going numb in the other’s hold.  
  
“Nii-chan, let…let papa rest,” he gasped, feeling something break inside of him.  
  
“Leave, give the boys some space…,” Izumi stated firmly and with one last look at the two children, she exited the kitchen with the rest of the staff.  
  
Ryosuke doesn’t remember how long they stood that way but he knew that he had cried silently until no tears were left and Daiki had shed none.  
  
He jumped slightly as he felt Daiki stir and place his hands upon his shoulders before pushing him away.  
  
“Dai-chan?” he asked weakly, weary eyes scrutinizing his brother’s blank face.  
  
“We have to finish preparing for the ball,” Daiki stated, voice monotonous, jaw line set.  
  
“But…,”  
  
“Papa never left anything unfinished…get to work,”  
  
Ryosuke nodded taking hesitant steps towards the large table in the center of the kitchen.  
  
“Izumi-san hasn’t started on the cake…we would have to make it ourselves,” Daiki mused aloud, looking through the ingredient checklist pasted on the wall.  
  
“I’ll read out the items, gather them and place them on the main table,”  
  
Ryosuke did as he was told, hands and feet working tirelessly. After all the items and equipment had been collected and placed together, he blinked as Daiki gave him a smile, rolling his sleeves back and putting on an apron.  
  
“Let’s give our Yuto a birthday cake he will never forget,”

~*~

  
“This news must be kept a secret until after the prince’s celebration…the prince will be leaving abroad for studies tomorrow…the King himself has arranged a funeral for Hayato,”  
  
“What about his sons?” Izumi asked the head butler Hiroshi.  
  
“They may continue living here; it is up to you what task they may be assigned since you will head the kitchens now,”  
  
Izumi sighed, rubbing her red nose.  
  
“Hayato was a wonderful man…why did this have to happen…so suddenly,”  
  
Hiroshi shook his head as they came to a stop before the double doors of the kitchen.  
  
“It is not for us to question, now are the preparations for this evening ready?”  
  
Izumi bit her lip.  
  
“Everything, except the cake,”  
  
Hiroshi frowned.  
  
“Lessen the extravagance on that pastry for all I care but have it ready by…,”  
  
Izumi had pushed the doors open and what greeted them silenced the butler. Upon the table was a massive cake. The frosting was snowy  
topped by mangoes cut in the shape of crowns with a red spiral of cherries in the center. The mango crowns were connected by a wall of chocolate wafers and Yuto’s name was written in red frosting. 12 strawberry scented candles were placed on equal distance from each other upon the confectionary and fresh bunches of flowers decorated the plate the cake was placed upon.  
  
Izumi rushed towards it, swapping a bit of cream onto her finger and tasted it. Her eyes fell shut as she sighed as the cream melted in her mouth.  
  
“It’s delicious,”  
  
“You said you weren’t done,”  
  
“I didn’t do this,”  
  
“Wh..what? Then who?”  
  
Izumi spotted a letter by the side of the cake and she gasped in shock as she read it out.  
  


 _Dear Izumi-san,_  
  
For taking care of me all this time…thank you. I’m sorry if this is sudden but I felt it necessary. My brother and I need to make a name, a life of our own so we left after completing one last task. I hope we didn’t fail you.  
  
Your student,  
  
Daiki.  
  


Ryosuke looked back at the castle as it began to get smaller and smaller with each step. He had a bagful of all his belongings in one hand and the other intertwined with Daiki’s as they marched down the street.  
  
“He…he’ll understand right?”  
  
Daiki sighed heavily.  
  
“I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have forced you to come with me…you had a good life in the castle and I know just how fond you are of Yuto…it’s just…I was afraid…to be by myself,”  
  
Ryosuke tightened his grip on his brother’s hold.  
  
“I had a good life there because of you…and you are my family, nothing is more important than that,”  
  
Daiki smiled slightly.  
  
“You’ll see him again, soon…,”  
  
“Yeah,” Ryosuke began softly.  
  
“I hope he won’t forget me by then.”

~*~

  
“You’re Highness, everyone’s waiting,”  
  
Yuto tightened his grip around the broaches, a frown on his face. Kouta gazed at the younger boy anxiously.  
  
“Are you alright? If you’re not feeling well, I’ll let them know,”  
  
“No…he’s really gone?”  
  
Kouta sighed.  
  
“Yes, Hiroshi-san informed me that he and his family have left the service and the castle,”  
  
“But…he didn’t even come visit, or at least tell me that he was leaving and where he was going and that we should stay in touch…he didn’t even say goodbye,”  
  
“Your Grace…Yuto, he was just one playmate…you can have many, as many as you want…look even your cousin has come to see you  
today…look Keito is here,”  
  
Kouta gave a pleading look towards the timid boy standing by the door who in turn looked at his attendant for advice. The girl shook her head, confused. Kouta scowled as Keito ignored him and stubbornly stared at Yuto, looking almost terrified.  
  
“But…he’s my best friend…,”  
  
Kouta sighed impatiently.  
  
“Maybe you weren’t his best friend, come on my prince, there are people outside who actually value you and are waiting for you…let’s go to them okay?”  
  
Kouta had no idea then, how that simple sentence had sunk into the depths of Yuto’s heart. He had no clue, that in his impatience, he had stepped on a blooming flower with harsh steps. To him, it had seemed like a thing that would be forgotten and left behind as sweet childhood memories.  
  
But nothing’s ever that simple now is it…  
  
Yuto dropped the gems into the box and snapped it shut. He straightened his suit and glanced into the mirror to get one last look at himself; at a face stern and focused, eyes misty with tears that had not flown. He marched towards the door, yanked Keito with one hand and entered the grand hallway to be greeted with cheers of love and looks of adoration, his heart bleeding.  
  
Within the locked jewelry box, the broaches came alight.


	7. The Mad Hunter’s Guild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ARC Two : Dawn of the Fellowship
> 
> The home he once new is no longer the same. Where there was once love, there is now anger and detest. When he left, they gave him best wishes. As he returns, they look at him with despair. On his 18th birthday, his father hands him the kingdom…and his mother…a power he never knew he had.
> 
> As war rages on the borders, it’s a race against the clock…to form the right alliances and strengthen the walls of his fortress. With time, he will begin to realize though, that the enemy is far more powerful…and far more closer to heart than he ever thought possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second arc... everyone's grown up and all. Thanks to everyone who are reading this btw... I really appreciate it :)

 

Biting her lip, the slender figure tugged at her hood and stepped lightly through the crowd. It had been a while since she’d walked down this lane and every step brought back the sweet sense of nostalgia. Ignoring the many temptations to stop and speak to the familiar faces passing her by she took a sudden turn down another lane and came to a stop right before a wooden door with a brass knocker. She cringed at the wolf head carving above the entrance before her eyes swept over the words carved underneath it in confirmation.  
  
_**Mad Hunter’s Guild**_  
  
With trembling hands she pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside.

  
~*~

  
Yurika had always considered herself a very patient girl. Of course with a horde of wild anima-I mean rowdy boys to look after, she strongly believed that she was very much worthy of praise. Flipping a page of the log book before her she ducked down immediately as an entire barrel came flying her way and crashed against the wall behind her.  
  
“Yu-chan sorry!”  
  
Waving it off with a commanding flick of the hand she bit the tip of her quill as her shrewd eyes scanned the sheet of paper before her and the many figures in red ink made her sigh. Things were not looking good. The guild was already in so much depth and with the new highway restrictions the amount of orders had decreased immensely. At this rate, they might have to shut down.  If they would only give her a chance, she would manage this guild better than that weirdo with the fang piercing.  
  
“Yuu, where’s your idiot brother? The meetings about to start,”  
  
Yurika narrowed her eyes at the noisy bunch on, under and around the large circular table in the middle of the hall before giving the boy with the crooked smile a look.  
  
“He might be a little slow, but he’s the best hunter in the guild, I would appreciate if you gave him a little more respect…Hikaru-kun,”  
  
Hikaru chuckled before giving her a quick apologetic bow.  
  
“I’m sorry, don’t be mad sis, now where’s Yuya?”  
  
“He probably dozed off in the store room again,”  
  
Hikaru shook his head amusedly before making for the basement. A tingle made Yurika look at the entrance expectantly and her eyes widened as she recognized the cloaked figure.  
  
“Kaede?”  
  
The girls rushed towards each other, giggling as they embraced.  
  
“You actually came!”  
  
“I’ve completed my training so they let me leave the castle as I please now,”  
  
“Will I ever know what they were training you for my dear?”  
  
“I can’t Yu, national secret!”  
  
Yurika rolled her eyes as she lead her childhood friend to a secluded table in the corner.  
  
“What an odd place to be working Yu,” Kaede commented as she watched a couple of boys getting into a fist fight.  
  
“Unfortunately, it is mine…and Yuya’s of course,”  
  
Yurika smirked slightly at the blush on the girl’s face at the mention of her brother’s name.  
  
“So…um you and…you’re running the place by yourself?” Kaede asked rather distractedly.  
  
Yurika shook her head with a defeated sigh.  
  
“Yuya’s too lazy and dad doesn’t want me dealing with all those roguish debt collectors so he made Koki the guild master…he’s  
that scary looking guy with the fang piercing…nice despite his fierce appearance,”  
  
“I see, how’s business?”  
  
“It used to thrive when the highways were still underdeveloped…especially the trade routes going through the wilderness and with  
the many monsters and wild creatures running about, the country had good use for hunters. But now with the new highway…the noise and population scares the beasts away and we’re stuck with odd jobs of collecting feathers and hide…so…we need to upgrade our services otherwise we’re doomed,”  
  
“What are your current services?”  
  
“We accompany travelers taking dangerous routes, do deliveries and gather supplies…we should be hunting down beasts terrorizing the highways…but we have lots of competition from other, larger guilds and also cause most of our members are not really…that professional enough for dangerous missions,”  
  
“Yuya there you are!”  
  
Yurika held back a snigger at the squeak Kaede made before hiding her face in her hands. She gave her yawning brother a warm smile before watching him getting dragged to the main table by Hikaru.  
  
 “Don’t tell me you still got a crush on my brother,”  
  
“Of course not,” Kaede replied indignantly, brushing off invisible dust from her shoulders. Yurika shook her head at the rosy tints on the girl’s cheeks before giving her a sympathetic sigh.  
  
“It’s not fair, having you forcefully bethroed to that prince! Have you ever even met the guy?”  
  
Kaede bowed her head.  
  
“No, but I am to meet him officially as his fiancé on his 18 th birthday celebration…that is after he returns from his studies in a few days time,”  
  
“I bet he’s nice and all…but being a wife to a prince…is rather frightful isn’t it?”  
  
Kaede nodded sadly.  
  
“I am dreadfully frightened, but I am bound by my duties…and something else,”  
  
“Of course…the national secret,”  
  
Kaede gave her friend an apologetic smile before gazing thoughtfully at the ring on her finger and the pale stone set in it. She jumped as Koki banged his fists on the table, generating immediate silence.  
  
“Alright boys, enough is enough…so what if we’re not getting as many orders as those scums down the street? So what? That’s just because we haven’t made a name for ourselves yet! And how do we do that you may ask? We will search, we will search high and low…out in these lanes is somebody who is in dire need of warriors such as ourselves and a little bit of snooping will lead us to that someone…now…buck up and spread out!”  
  
The guild master smiled appreciatively as his boys responded with much enthusiasm. Yes, he did plan to use manipulation, maybe spread a couple of bad rumors about the other guilds and lure customers by many…clever means but this was his desperation showing. Times were tough and he had to do anything possible from losing the guild his late master had left him with. He had so wished that it hadn’t had to come down to this…his master had lived a life of chivalry and honor and acting this way would be highly disrespectful. All he needed was one request, one order of such a level that his boys’ worth would be proven.  
  
His train of thoughts was abruptly interrupted as he spotted a certain brunette fast asleep, even with all the noise and clamour.

  
He was his late master’s only son. That was one of the reasons why that lazy head still remained intact to the lanky body. The other was something Koki, despite his own pride as master of their guild, had to admit, that there was something really unique about that boy. Yuya was a natural born hunter, if something like that even existed and had instincts beyond compare. So, maybe…just maybe…this boy was their guild’s salvation. 

 


	8. Our Existence

 

His lips tugged into a contented smile as he stretched his weary muscles and inhaled, taking in the night air. His deep, watery eyes reflected the velvety sky above and the small bit of stars scattered across it.  
  
 _‘I bet there are many more of you, hiding from the lights of the city,’_  
  
He turns at the sound of shuffling feet and takes the cloak offered to him. It smelled like fresh bread and felt like home. The warmth that engulfed him as the cloak fitted perfectly around his body was almost like a loving embrace.  
  
“Ready?” asked Daiki and he nodded, like the other pulling up his hood.  
  
“For a change, I’ll take the East district today you take West….here,”  
  
Ryosuke accepted the heavy wicker basket offered to him.  
  
“There’s some leftover loafs, some fresh bread I baked from the remaining moulds, the remaining sandwiches we heated and some packs of milk and some blankets and sweaters from the donation box…remember…distribute as you see fit,”  
  
Ryosuke nodded as he watched Daiki pull up a cloth that covered the lower half of his face.  
  
“I’ll see you back at the bakery, this here our meeting point in say 3 hours?”  
  
Ryosuke nodded again and waved slightly as he watched Daiki disappear down the deserted street before covering half of his face as well.  
  
The lamps glowed dimly as the city slept. Step after step, Ryosuke moved lightly, eyes searching, ears listening.  
He came to an abrupt stop as he spotted an elderly man around a street corner. He was shabbily dressed and fast asleep, curled upon the ground against the wall. Ryosuke frowned for he had never seen him before. But then again, Daiki usually covered this district…last time he had taken this instead of the Eastern District was a couple of months ago and he was surprised at how many new people were now on the streets.  
  
Ryosuke approached him cautiously but jerked to a stop as the man awoke immediately.  
  
“Who…who are you? I have nothing…nothing on me!”  
  
Ryosuke swallowed back his hesitance as the man glared at him, fear in his eyes. His hands were trembling…it was too cold for what he had on anyway.  
  
“It’s alright,” he said in a quiet whisper and reached into his basket. He pulled out a woolen blanket and unfurled it.  
  
“This is for you,” he said and laid it atop the confused man. He then reached out for a pack of milk, a sandwich and a loaf of bread.  
  
The man almost snatched the things from his gloved hands. Unperturbed, he began moving along his way.  
  
 “Th…thank you!”  
  
He halted immediately and turned around surprised. The man had staggered to his feet.  
  
“You’re him aren’t you? I’ve heard…the Night Angel?”  
  
Ryosuke held back a chuckle.  
  
 _They’ve named us now?_  
  
He bowed to the man and was on his way the next instant.  
  
It was three lanes down when he made his next stop. It was an old dwelling belonging to a young mother with her three children, one who was an infant. Daiki had specially mentioned her. She had lost her husband in the war raging on the northern borders of the kingdom and now made a hard living as a seamstress in a plunging economy. Daiki had seen her outside the bakery recently, eyeing a certain pastry but she had never come in to buy it.  
  
He tried not to make too much noise as he climbed the creaking steps. Reaching the threshold he placed two sweaters, a blanket, some milk and sandwiches and then the pastry he had packed in a pretty box upon the frayed welcome mat.  
  
Turning around he froze as he heard the wooden planks creak, but not from under him.  
  
“How do you do it? The word is around and people have sighted you all over this massive city in the same night… are you even human?”  
  
Ryosuke’s eyes widened.  
  
 _Daiki…they really do think we are one!_  
  
Without a backward glance, he began descending the steps.  
  
“I should pay you for these…you have no reason to give them to me…I have no need for pity,”  
  
“It is not pity,” he muttered. He was not supposed to talk, but he wanted to make this clear.  
  
“Kindness?” she scoffed. “That no longer exists in this world!”  
  
He turned around and looked the lady in the eye.  
  
“Then neither does pity… good night...maam,”  
  
He did not look back as he left her street. He hoped their little exchange of words would not cause any trouble for him and his brother. But he should not bother about that now. There was still almost three quarters of the district remaining and time was short.  
  
 _“Hey Daiki, what about the people who refuse to take what we give them?”_  
  
 _“Just leave the food for them and scram…why, has it ever happened to you?”_  
  
 _“Well, yeah...I came across this guy about a week ago, he got offended and started screaming at me…said he was not a beggar…I didn’t know what to say to him,”_  
  
 _Daiki sighed heavily._  
  
 _“Say nothing, arguing will bring us no good. This has nothing to do with pride or pity...it might seem like it to people, but it's not for us. Remember Ryosuke, this city has forgotten the foundations on which it was built upon…the reason there are many of us…is so when one falls…there is always a hand to help him up…because we are at the mercy of fate…we may be the hand that helps one day…the one that needs help the other…and so, what we do is not out of pity…it’s the reason of our existence.”_


	9. Homecoming

Yuto smiled at the little creature as it hobbled about, its translucent wings giving off a splendid shine under the moonlight. His eyes took in the view before him, from the garden of flowers surrounding him and the grassy descent of the hill to where the large waterfall fell in grace. He then swept his searching gaze over the route of the slithering river that wound away from its pool and then to the dense forest beyond where he knew was the road to home.

He reluctantly looked back at the large collection of stone-gray buildings, magnificent under the full moon and sighed deeply.

This academy had been his home for 6 years, and in these 6 years…he hadn’t been back to his kingdom, even for the holidays.

 _You have to study hard_ , they said to him. _You have to come back knowledgeable about the sciences and the arts and the cultures of the world_. _You are the future_ they said, _and you are to live for your people_.

He stretched, lying back down upon the grass. The little winged creature alighted upon his chest, staring down at him curiously.

“I miss home, Kouta-nii…I wonder how he’s doing?”

He smiled at the inaudible question in the sprite’s eyes.

“He’s my guardian but he’s like an older brother, I haven’t seen him for ages though so I wonder how he looks like now…,”

The sprite sits down, cross-legged and looks genuinely interested. He chuckles.

“It’s not that I didn’t like it here, the academy was amazing…I had great teachers, wonderful friends from all over…but don’t you think it’s unfair that I haven’t seen my parents, Kou-nii, everyone at the castle back home ever since I came here. It’s like they’re doing something secretive and want me to stay out of the kingdom,”

The sprite folds its arms and pouts.

“Yes I know you’ve been keeping me updated about conditions back home, but most of the time you come back with the most irrelevant information possible, like I don’t care about alley-cats fighting or rumors about a phantom haunting the streets at night…I mean…I don’t know, I’m just happy to be graduating tomorrow I guess,”

He stifles a yawn and gazes up at the navy blue heavens above. He reaches out to the sky, feeling as if he would fall into its sea of stars. There is a warm feeling within him, and it makes him smile.

‘ _I’m going home._ ”

~*~

Daiki yawns, doing the last minute checks to the shop. Light flickered upon the snow as the breeze taunted and teased the flames in the nearby street lamp. Daiki remembers, back in the days when they need not light up their streets with fire but the beautiful fairy-like glow from the blue stones that now lay dulled in the small compartment below the torches; as useless as pebbles from the street.

It seemed to him that even the mysterious force that powered their city had long died. His eyes flicked from the torch to his younger brother who stood by the plowed road, gazing up at the sky with a dazed smile on his face.

“Hey sleepyhead, let’s go in unless you’re planning to freeze to death,” said he, rubbing his hands together before blowing into them. He frowned as Ryosuke raised a hand, as if reaching for the heavens and grinned wider.

“Dai-chan, do you think it’s possible for us to just fall into the sky…and if we do…would we just keep falling and falling forever?”

Daiki rolled his eyes, reprimanding himself for letting the younger one have that last slice of strawberry cheesecake and marched towards him before grabbing him by the collar and hustling him indoors.

~*~

The following morning was chilly, but not cold enough to hinder the hype of the new graduates. Congratulations and hugs were exchanged, graduate caps flung high into the air and a significant quantity of tears had been shed.

According to Keito though, the sorrow was only temporary and for some clearly over-exaggerated because nothing beats the happiness of life-term achievements and a long-awaited homecoming. 

Aoi thought he was being surprisingly insensitive, Yuto didn’t really care as he unlatched himself from  a close friend, eyes desperately searching for a lone figure.

“Make sure you write to me Yutti!”

He nodded rather absent-mindedly at which his shorter companion launched into protests against the lack of attention he was receiving from his best friend.

“See you Keito,” he then said turning to the well-ignored boy.

“Take care Yuri,” he replied with a polite bow watching as the boy dashed towards a carriage waiting for him and his tall, lean, rather malicious looking attendant. He then looked to the girl on his right and found her engrossed in a book.

“Aoi?”

“Yes my lord?”

“Why don’t I have my own carriage?”

The girl flipped the book close, took off her large round glasses and looked back at him thoughtfully.

“I think it’s because your parents and his Highness’s parents want us to stick together during travel, it's safer that way that’s all,”

“Oh,” said Keito, a little bit happier before Aoi resumed her reading.

Yuto pouted as he spotted his carriage but with a random driver. His face lighted up though as the carriage door popped opened and a tall, gangly young man with chestnut brown hair and small eyes jumped out onto the grass.

They both smiled at each other before Yuto launched himself at him with full force.

~*~

“Seriously?”

Daiki shook his head at the surprise and excitement on Ryosuke’s face as he continued to wipe the counter. Yuya placed his mug onto the small round table with a clunk, taking his time to swallow the hot chocolate in his mouth and nodded.

Ryosuke waited patiently for the older boy to finish gulping down the beverage and let out a contented sigh before leaning forward on that table, eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“I’ve heard it from a very reliable source; they spotted the carriage a few miles from here,” Yuya said finally, leaning back into his chair and fighting the urge to fall asleep right there.

“Your source isn’t Hikaru right?” asked Daiki, his voice laced with disbelief. Yuya coughed. Daiki rolled his eyes.

“Hey, he’s the best scout in our guild!” Yuya retorted defensively.

“Sure, sure, when he’s not in his prankster mood probably which is like never,” Daiki snaps.

Ryosuke sniggered at the exchange. He turned his vision towards the glass window and frowned at the slight glow emanating from the street lamp by their shop.

“Daiki?” he called and the other two boys in the room followed his line of vision to be equally surprised.

“The stones?”

They rushed out of the shop, gathering around the light.

“It’s really getting brighter by the second!” Yuya exclaimed. They were not the only ones, other people had begun gathering around the lamps, whispering in low voices.

Just then, down the street, a carriage came to view.


	10. Silently Longing

“Let’s go inside,” Daiki said tugging at Ryosuke’s arm. The boy nodded distractedly, wondering eyes upon the approaching carriage. It seemed like any other carriage carrying the most nobility but it wasn’t a royal carriage. His shoulders dropped in disappointment and he trudged back into the bakery with Daiki and Yuya.

Yuto’s eyes snapped open as the carriage jerked slightly and he stifled a yawn wondering how much more of the journey remained. His left hand was wound around Kouta’s and he looked at the older boy with a fond smile. The young scholar had his eyes upon the carriage door and was clearly lost in his own thoughts. He then turned to look at Keito and Aoi on the seat opposite him, both asleep with their heads leaning against each other’s. He smiled wider, making a mental note to tease them to death afterwards.

The carriage then came to a sudden stop and Kouta looked at him surprised to find him awake.

“Are we there yet?” Yuto asked rubbing his eyes tiredly. Kouta shook his head, holding up a hand.

“5 minutes?” Yuto guessed and Kouta nodded before pushing open the door on his side and dismounting. A sudden draft blew in as the door closed shut, bringing with it the most appetizing aroma. Yuto blushed as his stomach growled loudly but sighed in relief as the other two remained fast asleep.

Curious to where they were, he pulled open his curtain slightly and peered out at the bakery. He squinted, trying to make out the moving figures beyond the glass window and blinked as Kouta walked out of the shop followed by a shorter figure. Kouta seemed to be carrying brown paper bags and was listening to the younger looking boy talk.

“Dai-chan,”

Yuto felt his body turn cold at the sight of a third person running out to meet the two, another bag in his hand.

“Oh yah, I almost forgot…we’re introducing a new pastry so try it out okay?” said Daiki handing the bag to Kouta who nodded with a smile.

“Bring his Highness, whenever he comes back to our little shop if it’s okay with the King and Queen,” Daiki added with Ryosuke nodding enthusiastically. He then frowned and Yuto dropped the curtain and backed off immediately as he shot a look right at his direction.

Yuto leaned back into his seat, hand on his pounding heart. It had been so long, he’d never thought he would actually see him again. He composes himself quickly as Kouta climbs back into the carriage.

He blinked at the bag offered to him but smiled gratefully as he discovered that in it lay a scrumptious sandwich. The carriage began to move and in an attempt to avoid peeling up the curtains and looking out at the two brothers again, he sunk his teeth into his meal.

He stole a quick sideways glance at his guardian who was quietly eating away his own sandwich, eyes upon the door again and one hand constantly checking his bottle-neck collar, as if worried that it may fall low and uncover his neck.  It made Yuto wonder a lot of things. He was at first shocked at the older boy’s soundless greetings or the hand signs but he couldn’t bring himself to ask the question of why he was not speaking.

_Sore throat maybe?_

By the time Yuto was done with his meal the carriage had finally come to a final stop. The lurch woke the two sleeping passengers up and they stared bleary eyed at each other for a couple of seconds before pulling apart immediately with flushed faces.

Yuto jumped out of the carriage, feet landing on the pebble stone path. He took in the air, the smell of home rejuvenating his spirit.

Kouta stole a quick look at the elegant lamps adorning the gardens and the way they were glowing beautifully against the faint light of the dying sun and couldn't help but smile knowingly, eyes finally settling on the excited prince. Yuto threw the duo dismounting the carriage an impatient look.

“Come on sleeping beauties hurry up! I wanna go see mom and dad already!”

~*~

Ryosuke stretched and blinked, eyes still trying to get used to the fairy-like glow of the surroundings. It had been around six years he reckons since the stones dulled and he wondered what brought them back.

He looked around the deserted alley and stopped to stare at a black pigeon doing just that; staring back at him. He tilted his head, feeling a little freaked out at its beady red eyes. It cooed, pulling him out of his trance. Shaking his head he reached for the door and entered the bakery just as the pigeon took flight.

~*~

The moon lingered high in the sky, its light casting shadows upon the ground. A man with electrifying blue eyes stood upon a cliff overlooking a sleeping city. He stretched his arm and smiled as the black pigeon alighted on it.

“So Mana, how is my little Ryosuke?” he spoke and grinned as the pigeon cooed in reply.

He gazed at the dark horizon, a longing in his eyes.

“Soon, I will come for you soon.”


	11. Awaken My King

His feet are bare but they leave no tracks as he treaded upon the snow laden ground; as if he were made out of air and not flesh and bone.  
  
He does not feel the chill let alone the breeze that makes his robe flutter around his lean figure. His eyes were weary, squinting against the darkness of the street. He moved a couple of steps forward and was taken aback as the lamps started glowing, one after the other until the entire extent of the street was lit.  
  
His feet took him down a road known to him, one that brought back a memory from his childhood. He stopped by a familiar alley and was stunned to find a couple of men in overcoats standing around a blaze. He approached them but they paid him no heed.  
  
“Damn this monarch, here they are throwing money away on grandiose celebrations while our children are crying of hunger,”  
  
“My 16 year old nephew was called up to join the ranks of so many others to protect our borders from Valian. That kingdom is a military powerhouse; our children stand no chance against them,”  
  
“The King’s too busy spending the country’s treasury on the latest weapons, just to keep them at bay,”  
  
“I bet we will be invaded anyway, we stand no chance, not like this…scourging the city streets for means of feeding our families,”  
  
“What about the Phantom? Night Angel or whatever...Who do you think he is?”  
  
“I bet someone rich but with a spot of generosity in his heart. I mean who goes around giving away food and clothing like that…someone who has em in the first place right?”  
  
“The prince, do you think…he will bring prosperity back? I mean they were rumours of his return and the stones got back their light,”  
  
“Hmm, I doubt it…I heard he was exempted from military training because of his ill physique, he’s too sheltered to understand the roughness of handling a kingdom,”  
  
Yuto frowned, turning his back on the group and walked out, their words playing in his head like an unavoidable headache. He blinked as he spotted a shadow move quickly into a small alley across the street and he found himself running, chasing after it.  
  
He stopped abruptly as the shadow, which turned out to be a black cloaked figure did as well. He watched silently as the figure approached a woman curled up in a corner against the wall holding a crying child in her hands. The figure bent down, pulling off the glove from his hand and wrapping his fingers around her wrist. Yuto was so absorbed in what the person was doing that he jumped suddenly as another figure passed right through him, as if he were a mere spirit. He watched in wonder at how alike the two cloaked people were, in physique at least.  
  
“How is she?” said the newcomer, and Yuto swore he had heard this voice before.  
  
“Not good Dai-chan, she’s gone,”  
  
Yuto hastened towards the duo, coming to a stop right behind them. He reckoned since it was his dream, they couldn’t really see him. The new comer, Daiki, sighed deeply before pulling out a blanket from his satchel.  
  
“It’s the second one this week…she looks young,”  
  
The first one nodded and gently pulled the crying child into his arms, wrapping a blanket around his shivering figure.  
  
“I’ll take her to the undertaker, hopefully that greedy man would settle on a better price than the elder we took to him before, if her family doesn’t show up that is,”  
  
“What about this child?”  
  
“Like I said, if anyone comes to claim her…we’ll give him to them, if not…,”  
  
Yuto gasped in shock as the figure with the child turned around. Ryosuke’s lips were curled up in a loving smile as he patted the now sleeping toddler.  
  
“Yuto’s back, he’s going to make it all better now,”  
  
Daiki gave Ryosuke a hopeless look and sighed deeply.  
  
“I hope you’re right.”  
  
Yuto closed his eyes, dizziness overtaking him. He squatted upon the ground until everything stopped spinning but by the time he opened his eyes, he felt all his senses returning.  
  
He was cold because he was on his bed, body drenched in sweat. He pushed himself up and leaned back against his pillow, breathing labored, muscles sore and feet numbed as if he had been out in the cold barefooted. He kept his eyes shut as he calmed, trying to process all he had seen.  
  
This dream was similar to one he had had some time ago, in the manner that he was a bystander watching events unfold. He had had many of these dreams in fact, like back at the academy he had dreamt of Keito being bullied in the hallways and locked up in a utility closet. As he had awoken, the first thing he had done was to rush to that closet and help his shocked cousin out of there.  
  
There was something that bothered him very much though, and it was a nightmare…involving his beloved Kou-nii. He gulped down a rising reflex, cringing at the unpleasant sensation.  
  
He looked up as a light approached him and smiled weakly at the little sprite giving him a ‘I told you so’ look. He pushed his knees up and wrapped his long arms around them, watching as the sprite alighted on one of them.  
  
“You were right about the phantom…phantoms…but…I would have never thought it was those two,”  
  
The sprite shrugged. Yuto chewed his bottom lip, eyes fixed on a spot on his bedspread, features focused. The sprite waited patiently, knowing that the strong-willed prince was doing more than just figuring things out.  
  
“Chika!” he spoke suddenly and the sprite stood in attention.  
  
“Where are the others? I want them to spread out and gather me as much information about all the members of the council, especially Miura the royal advisor and Sawaguchi the finance minister…immediately,”  
  
Chika gave him a salute before rising into the air.  
  
‘As you command my King!’

~*~


	12. Overprotected

Yuto looked up from the book he was reading to the large window of the castle library. It had been two days since that dream or whatever it was and Chika and her crew had brought back substantial amount of information that had made his blood boil.

He needed to see the city now, with his own eyes.

“I’m going outside,”

Keito coughed in his Earl-Grey, immediately reaching for the handkerchief Aoi was holding out to him.

“You know that’s out of bounds for you,” he replied clearing his throat. Yuto shot him a glare.

“Yes, back when I was a sick child…how the hell am I supposed to rule a country if I know nothing about it?”

“What more is there to know Yuto? The council has given you their reports; the economy isn’t as good as it used to be and there has been an increase in unemployment rates, but everything is under control isn’t it?”

Keito’s eyes widened as Yuto got to his feet and smashed his tea cup upon the floor. This wasn’t like his cheery, gentle cousin at all…and he was freaked out, very much. Next to him Aoi jumped and dropped the book she was reading, eyes blinking rapidly behind her glasses.

“They gave me a summary in words, not numbers. I feel like they are patting me on the back and saying here take this kingdom, everything is fine, you won’t have to do anything just follow whatever the council decides and as long as we keep the majority of the nation happy, we’re all good!”

Keito bowed his head. Knowing his cousin’s strong personality well, he understood the other’s frustration.

“They kept me out of the kingdom for 6 years, when I come back…I have to be sneaked into the kingdom! Are people really this angry with the monarch that they posed a threat to my life?”

The door of the grand study flew opened, revealing a worried King and Queen followed by the finance minister, royal adviser and Kouta.

“We had just finished the meeting about your birthday and engagement celebrations when we heard the sound, is everything okay Your Highness?” asked the Advisor Miura. Yuto kept his gaze on the floor.

“How important is this celebration?” he spoke in a low voice. His parents looked at each other confused.

“You’re turning 18, will be engaged and will be officially crowned king…it’s probably the biggest event of your life My Grace,” replied Miura. Aoi reached for Keito’s arm and when he looked at her, she nodded. Keito then stared at Yuto, as if trying to see something that wasn’t there.

Yuto ignored the malicious giggles of the multiple sprites in the room and gave the adviser a death glare.

“Dad, do I have permission to speak my mind about the matter?” he asks, his glare making Miura very uncomfortable.

The king nodded rather interestedly, taking a seat and asking his queen to do the same. The lady looked a little uneasy; eyes upon her ring that was glowing with an unusual radiance.

“I am putting up an objection to this event,” he said firmly. Miura looked back at him bewildered.

“But Your Highness, it is your birthday! Your coronation! The day you officially become king!”

Yuto chuckled darkly.

“There are people dying in the streets and you’re throwing a large-scale party for me?” he snaps, outraged.

An uncomfortable silence falls upon the room.

“That is an exaggeration, you shouldn’t just assume things my prince,” replied Miura regaining his composure. Yuto shook his head.

“I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I’ve heard them with my own ears, the way they mock my family, the hate they have for us…are you all waiting for a rebellion? How long till they decide they don’t need us anymore? And what is this about a threat of an invasion by Valian? Didn’t we have a peaceful trade relationship with them?”

Miura was gaping at him, Sawaguchi looked obviously frightened, Kouta stunned and the King’s expressions were unreadable.

“And this is how you are planning to crown me?  An ignorant, selfish prince who does nothing but indulge in luxury, remaining ignorant of the tribulations of his people…,”

“Where are these words coming from Yuto? Who’s been telling you all of this?” asked the Lady looking very distressed.

“Akatsuki,” he spoke gently, eyes upon the floor, features tinged with sadness. Keito blinked and held down a scream as Aoi clutched his arm in a death grip.

“My Lord,” she gasped wide eyed. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

“He has…he has…,”

Keito lunged forward as Aoi collapsed.

“What?” the Queen asked taken aback as Sawaguchi rushed to help Keito with the unconscious girl.

“The Kingdom speaks to me mother it has ever since I left for the academy. I feel it’s pain, it’s anxiety…I see it all when I dream…I feel like I will die if something bad happens to this land…,” he gushed out, a hand clutching his chest. He doesn’t know himself where these words were coming from; it was as if he was revealing the secrets behind his longings, worries, and dreams to himself as well as the other occupants of the room.

The King rose to his feet as Kouta moved towards the shocked Lady weeping at the sight of her child in distress. Miura backed off and bowed as the King took his shivering son in his arms.

“It’s alright Yuto, we…understand…somehow…we’re just as terrified as you are, more of losing you than anything else. We might be King and Queen, but first and foremost we are your parents and all we wanted was your safety and happiness,”

“I want your trust father,” replied the prince softly.

“Let me take the responsibility you wanted to grant me in my own way…and when we celebrate, it will be with every member of this nation,”

The King nodded with a sigh.

“Fine, it will be as you wish…but we’ll have to tell the kitchens to put a hold on your cake,” he replied with a smile.

The word made Yuto snap his head up and blink.

“Kitchens? Um…can I go do that?”

~*~

“Ryosuke, Ryosuke wake up!”

The boy flinched and coughed at the strong smell by his nostrils, eyes blinking open to stare at Yuya’s worried face.

“Are you alright?” the older boy asked putting a lid on the foul smelling vial and replacing it in his pocket. Ryosuke held his head, fighting the urge to slam it against the wall.

“Just a headache, what happened?” he asked weakly as Yuya helped him to a chair. His eyes widened at the sight of Daiki leaning against a counter, hand on his head and breathing labored.

 “You both started whining about a little headache and then Daiki started hyperventilating and you just fainted, what’s up with you guys? I told you to not overwork yourself this much!” he complained, pouring Ryosuke a glass of water which the boy took thankfully.

“I’m okay now,” Daiki spoke taking the hand Ryosuke offered to him and sitting down.

“By the way Yuya, what was that awful smell?” Ryosuke asked offering his half-drunk glass to Daiki.

Yuya smiled sheepishly.

“Seriously, you don’t want to know…so what were we talking about again?”

Daiki sighed.

“Kou-chan,”

“Yeah, I don’t get it, what happened to his voice actually?” Yuya asked curiously. Daiki gave him a ‘ _I’ll kill you if you let this out_ ’ look before draining the glass of water in one go.

“He went as the prince’s body double to Valian, after the King received an invitation for himself and his soon to be crowned son to sit and talk with the ruler of that Kingdom,”

“Seriously?” Yuya exclaimed. Daiki nodded grimly.

“Hikaru says that Kou-chan offered it himself, Valian hasn’t been really friendly recently and he was afraid for the king’s safety…so he went. Everything was fine at first. He had the meeting and apparently the ruler of Valian was even impressed with him. It was on his way back that something happened,”

“What?”

“His carriage and the guards with him were attacked…by whom…Kouta’s never been able to tell. He came back mute and barely alive…Hikaru was furious,”

Ryosuke leaned back into his chair, wondering if Yuto knew about any of this.

“Is he…going to be okay?” Yuya asked anxiously. Daiki clenched his teeth and breathed out heavy.

“He’s dying.”


	13. In Hysteria

Kouta walked swiftly. After his outburst yesterday, Yuto had taken to not stay in one place and finding him in the enormous castle had become a task. He frowned to himself, still trying to absorb Yuto’s words and his behavior in the library.

His feet came to an abrupt halt though, as he spotted the young prince upon the bottom step of the grand staircase that opened into the entrance hall. The boy seemed lost in thoughts, eyes upon something in his hands.

Yuto looked up as Kouta approached him. He patted the space next to him and the older boy sat down with a smile.

“I met up with Izumi-san, I thought she was recently made in charge of the kitchens…but…Kou-nii, did you know that on the day of my 12th birthday, Daiki’s father passed away?”

Kouta nodded guilt apparent on his features.

“You should have stopped them, how could you let them leave like that after their only family passed away?”

Kouta shoulders slumped and he glared at the floor. Yuto sighed.

“It’s not your fault, I’m sorry,”

Kouta shook his head.

“You know, I’m relieved,”

Kouta looked up at him to find him smiling while waving a letter in his hand.

“He…Ryosuke explained everything in here; of how it was his and Daiki’s decision and that he hopes we could stay friends forever… I just wished I had read it sooner and not spent the last six years being angry with him…still, never expected him to be so cheesy in a letter,”

Kouta grinned, patting the younger’s head. He frowned though, as Yuto's smile faltered and his eyes began to water.

“I had a nightmare…back at the academy…it was about you,”

Kouta gave him a questioning look as Yuto heaved a sigh, his voice cracking.

“You were walking away from me…I kept calling and calling but you wouldn’t stop,”

Kouta placed a hand on the prince’s trembling shoulder. He jumped though as Yuto suddenly grabbed him by the collar. His eyes widened as he pulled on the button holding the fabric in place and as the cloth separated, he spotted a strange serpentine-like burn mark.

“What happened to you?” he choked, breaking into hysterics. Kouta tried to pry the long fingers increasing their grip around his neck off but to no avail. He couldn’t do it without hurting his beloved prince. Yuto’s desperate eyes bore into his and he could only look back helplessly.

“Why won’t you talk to me? WHY WON’T YOU SAY A WORD? SPEAK TO ME DARN IT!”

“YOUR HIGHNESS!”

Kouta sighed in relief as Hiroshi and the Queen managed to pull Yuto off him. He stared at the hysterical prince in dismay.

“Yuto, please calm down…,” cooed the Queen trying to envelope the restless, tall figure in her arms. Kouta got to his feet and bowed, trying to hide the fact that he was shivering.

“My Lady, shall I get the keys to the Sealed Chamber?”

The Queen looked up at Hiroshi and nodded.

“Yuto,” she began. The boy looked up at her weakly.

“Come with me, I have to show you something.”

~*~

“Aunt Haru?”

Ryosuke blinked in disbelief at the familiar face, though much more aged than before she still stood out in her deep red velvet gown and hat.

The woman was blinking right back at him, as if trying to make sure she was speaking to the right person. Ryosuke gave her a frown before resuming his work of tying up a red ribbon around the cake box. As soon as he was done he handed it to the waiting customer with a smile.

“Here you go, thank you so much for choosing us and we hope to see you again soon!” he chirruped as the customer left.

“Ryosuke?”

“Yes aunt Haru it’s me I haven’t really changed that much,” he grumbled wiping the counter with a cloth.

“Oh, well yes…urm…we need to speak, privately,”

Ryosuke gave her a look.

“I can’t leave the store unattended, and my brother’s out delivering orders,” he replied sternly, leaving his place at the counter to check on the displays by the window.

“Wait, so we’re alone?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes…,” Ryosuke replied slowly, eyeing her with suspicion. Haru smiled rather triumphantly.

“Good, so let’s get this over with,” she said, pulling up a stool and seating herself on it.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re duty to your country, your obligation,”

Ryosuke stared at her.

“My…obligation?”

Haru narrowed her eyes at him and he was surprised at the intense hatred reflected in them.

“My sister had to die to protect you, now I have to hand you over to protect myself…understood?”

Ryosuke backed up against the wall in shock. Haru smirked, obviously satisfied with his reaction.

“Oh, so you thought that it won’t come back to haunt you did you? That you could go on living a peaceful life while the relatives of those that died because of you would forever live in mourning,”

Ryosuke looked at the floor, trying to process everything she said.

“Your ‘new father’ only took you in because he pitied you, but you know what…he may have never mentioned it but it took some convincing, to get him to adopt you that is…and do you know why?”

Ryosuke looked up at her, afraid to know the answer.

“It’s the same reason all over again…he hated you, from the depths of his heart he hated you,”

Ryosuke closed his eyes, arms around himself. Now that he thought about it, it had always been Daiki around him, the older man had very skillfully avoided any contact with him.

“Daiki doesn’t hate me,” he mumbled, trying to suppress the tightness growing around his chest. Haru looked at him as if he were the most pathetic creature in existence.

“Putting all the drama aside, the people that wanted you dead years ago still want the same thing…and it will be about time that they discover that you are here,”

Ryosuke looked up at her, fear in his eyes. She moved closer, and spoke more softly.

“However, there is somebody who is willing to offer you protection… but in exchange; you need to perform your duty as a native of Valian…to prove your loyalty to your country,”

“They can’t come here and kill me in the middle of all these people,” Ryosuke retorted. Haru laughed, wiping fake tears from her eyes.

“Oh, so are the people of Akatsuki so valiant that they are willing to protect a demon? They do know about you right? And specifically who’s going to protect you? Daiki? The innocent lad will be taken to his grave because of you…just like my sister and brother-in-law,”

Ryosuke slid onto the floor, face in his hands and heart in hysterics. He can’t let that happen again, not to Daiki.  

“What is it that I have to do?” he spoke weakly. Haru squatted before him and pulled out a dagger with a blade of black crystal wrapped in satin from her purse. Ryosuke’s eyes widened as she handed it to him.

“With this blade, assassinate the prince of Akatsuki.”

~*~


	14. The Crystal Child

 

“Aoi, are you alright?”

Keito waited patiently on the floor by the couch as the girl stirred slowly before opening her eyes and blinking at him a few times. They stared at each other for a couple of minutes, Keito in concern while Aoi in a daze. All of a sudden as if regaining her senses, she bolted upright and pulled as back into the couch as she could; making the boy jump.

“I’m sorry my Lord, for fainting like that!” she said, head bowed. Keito shook his head and smiled.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,”

“It was very irresponsible of me,”

Keito frowned

“I said that it was okay,”

“No, honestly, I can’t apologize enough…I’m so ashamed of just…,”

“AOI… SERIOUSLY?”

Aoi stared at the flabbergasted boy as he proceeded to drop himself onto the floor in a full-out sprawl upon the lush carpet. She held back a snicker.  Her master could be really cute at times. She blinked.

_What?_

“Her Majesty took Yuto somewhere, but he was asking about you before he left,”

The mention of the prince’s name made her remember what she had seen before she had blacked out and it sent a shiver down her spine. Keito pushed himself in a sitting position, arms around his knees.

“You don’t have to tell me what you saw if you’re uncomfortable with it,”

“Please stop it,”

The girl’s stern tone caught Keito off-guard and he gaped at her.

“You’re my master, you need to order me to tell you what you want to know…stop being so nice it always gets you into trouble!”

Keito continued to gape at the girl hiding her face behind her shoulder-length hair.

“Order me,” she insisted firmly.

Keito scratched his head at the fact that he was being _ordered_ to _order_.

“Okay…tell me what your glasses showed you?” he asked carefully. Aoi cleared her throat and sat up properly.

“His Majesty…seemed different through my lenses,” she began. Keito tilted his head to one side, waiting for more.

“He did not look like his usual self…his eyes had altered...and he had…he had wings…,”

~*~

“Where are we going mother?” asked Yuto, uncomfortable with the route the little company was taking. After going down narrow flights of circular stairs, they were now making way through dark and dingy corridors with cold stone walls.

“Did you know, that our castle is built upon an older version of it…constructed by your ancestors in the old ages?”

“And we are…in that old fortress?”

The Queen nodded with a smile.

“This place is kept secret from the outside world because it houses our country’s greatest treasure,”

“Treasure?”

They come to a stop before a large gate. Two lanterns hung on either side of the doorway, housing the blue stones. Hiroshi hands a set of keys to the queen and she begins to insert each in the multiple locks before her. When all the keys had been inserted, she raised her ring finger to her mouth before touching the glowing stone with her lips. The stone’s radiance increased with her action and she proceeded to touch her ring against the largest central lock.

Yuto watched with wonder as the keys started shifting on their own and as if by an automated mechanism, began unlocking the large gate. Yuto blindly reached for Kouta’s sleeve and held it in a death grip.

He took in a deep breath, his heart pounding in his head. He was scared, and anxious yet impatient as he watched the large door swing open slowly to reveal in small glimpses a massive circular chamber bathed in a beautiful moon-like glow.

“Come in,”

He followed after the Queen, eyes scanning the room in awe. The first thing he noticed was a giant crystal in the center of the room, its glow akin to the stones in the lamps around the city. Hovering around the diamond-shaped crystal were sprites in great numbers, flying around it like moths to light. The crystal was held in place by natural extensions from the ceiling and the floor.

With much reluctance he wrenched his gaze from the crystal to scan rest of the room. He noticed that the walls were lined by shelves so high that ladders had been placed by them for easy access to books. The furniture was plain but plenty, ranging from desks to carpets and sofas. A young woman, who had been sitting upon the carpet with a book in her hand got to her feet as they approached her and bowed graciously.

“Yuto, this is Kaede your fiancée and like me, a guardian of this crystal,”

Yuto nodded back in greeting, a little surprised. This was his first time meeting his fiancée after all. His vision pulled itself back onto the said object and the sight made him smile for an unknown reason.

“Crystal?” he spoke, a hand upon his heart, feeling it thump under his skin. He felt a gentle warmth radiating from the crystal, almost comforting.

“It is called the Crystal of The Dawn; it was what drove our ancestors to build a kingdom on this land,”

“What does it do?”

The Queen sighed.

“Honestly, to us this crystal is just an object, a resource. But not one that everyone can use. In our history, there have been few people who have had the ability to control and channel the energy of this crystal in specific ways so we believe that this crystal reacts to certain human beings, the connection is something these human beings…us guardians spend our lifetime studying. So up until now…we guardians have been able to use this crystal, providing warmth and light to the kingdom by scattering pieces of it across the nation,”

“This really is a treasure,” Yuto spoke awestruck. His mother nodded.

“Up to this point, there has been one guardian every generation and coincidentally, they have all been female, so the tradition became that as the crystal is a responsibility of the king than the guardian who understands the power and function of this crystal should be his wife,”

Yuto looked at Kaede briefly, who bowed lower and nodded in understanding.

“I see,”

“Now more recently we have discovered that the crystal has a destructive force as well, strong enough to wipe out an entire civilization. Kaede and I have been monitoring the crystal’s energy closely and it has never even come close to breaching its safety limit,”

“Safety limit?”

“Yes, but…somehow we feel like the crystal is slowly slipping out of control, like Kaede and I are not enough to fully harness its true potential,”

 He smiled distractedly as Chika descended from amongst her group and settled on his shoulder.  The Queen seemed stunned but she was quick to compose herself.

 _‘I have the answer to that my King,’_ she spoke in her sing-song voice.

“You do? What is it?” Yuto asked with a frown.

Chika whispered something into Yuto’s ear and his eyes widened.

“What is it Yuto?” asked Queen Hana.

The prince looked at her, stunned.

“Chika says that there is another guardian now mother and that this one’s much more powerful than any before,”

 _'He was born with the knowledge of the crystal in his memories,'_ Chika continued. Yuto repeated it to the rest.

Shock and despair coloured the Queen’s delicate features as Hiroshi approached her with equal anxiety.

“What are we going to do my Lady? What if Valian gets a hold of this guardian before we do?”

“How will they know about something that even we did not know about?” responded the Queen.

“But, they knew about the crystal your Majesty,” spoke Kaede fearfully. 

“What?” asked Yuto very much surprised. If this was so hidden and so few know of it, how in the world would the ruler of another country acquire any knowledge of its existence?

“The Steward of Valian is aware of our crystal and we believe that he wants to invade this Kingdom to be able to harness its power and use it to build his empire,”

“How did you know that?” Yuto asked incredulously.

“He spoke it himself, to Kouta, although he was far from eager to let us in on how he knew of our crystal,”

Yuto’s head snapped to the silent figure standing in the shadows with a stoic expression on his face.

“He went to Valian?”

“In the place of your father and yourself, as your body double…it was on his way back that he was attacked by a group of strange people…that cursed him with a fatal wound,”

“Fa…fatal?”

“We tried everything within our knowledge and our power, but we don’t know anything about the curse to be able to lift it from him…,” added the queen sadly.

Yuto clenched his fist. The sprite placed a tiny, cold palm upon his face in an attempt to comfort the prince.

“Times have changed, new evils are emerging and what we already know is no longer enough my child,”

Yuto looked at his mother’s weary gaze.

“We will do what is in our power, but now…I think we have to step back a little and let you guide us because no guardian has ever had enough power over this crystal as much as you do,”

Yuto gave her a surprised look.

“These creatures, I have never seen them leave this room or stray from the light of the crystal…until the day you were born,”

 “It was…as if…they thought you were the same thing, I mean it’s ridiculous…I don’t know what these creatures are thinking but they seem to swarm around you with as much affection as they appear to have for the crystal,”

_‘It’s because we do, you are our king…the true power of the crystal runs through your blood,’_

Yuto looks at Chika stunned. She places a finger upon her lips.

“Is the creature…speaking with you?”

Yuto nodded. Chika flew up to the Queen’s eye-level and curtsied before flying back to Yuto’s side almost shyly.

“Us guardians can see them, but… they've never spoken to us,”

 _‘We serve our King, and communication with him is sufficient enough,’_ Chika said. Yuto nodded, eyes falling upon the silent figure of his older guardian. Everything was beginning to make sense now.

He understood what he was capable of…and why.

“Chika…I need to save him,” he spoke in a low voice. Chika looked up, a silent beckoning to her brethren.

The shocked occupants of the room watched the sprites descend and swarm around the prince, a strange amalgamation of living lights.

“Spread out and gather when you have information about a cure…this matter is of utmost priority…now…GO!”

~*~


	15. Pure Intentions

_‘There is one who can lift his curse my King, but for that you have to journey to the land of the elven kin,’_

  
“Stop looking at me like that, it’s creepy,”

Kouta shook his head in dismay as Yuto turned his back towards him.

“I know what I’m doing, and it’s not just for you…it’s high time Akatsuki formed powerful alliances and Leirion is the best option we got, besides…I’m already friends with its king so it shouldn’t be hard to become official partners in a legion of peace,”

Kouta sighed deeply. Yuto turned to him and grinned.

“Help me pack?”

~*~

Yuya knocked on the door and entered as was told to finding himself in a little office-like room with Koki behind the desk, looking like he’d just been made King. Yuriko beamed at him as he came closer and Hikaru gave him a thumbs- up.

“What are you all so happy about?” he asked confused and jumped as a fourth person that had been sitting on a tall chair before Koki stood up. She gave him a short bow.

“Kaede here has brought us a mission that will change our luck forever!” exclaimed Yuriko. Yuya blinked.

“His Highness the Prince of Akatsuki is in need of a fellowship that will protect and guide him through the Forbidden Planes, I suggested your Guild,” spoke Kaede firmly.

“The Forbidden Planes? Why would his Highness want to take such a dangerous route? And where is he heading?” Yuya asked surprised.

“This information is very much confidential, unless you wish to partake in this quest,” she replied.

“Shut up with the questions Yuya, how many guilds have been given such an honour of protecting our Prince? Think of the boost to our reputation!”

Koki frowned and Kaede bit her lip nervously as Yuya fell into deep thought.

“It’s a pretty big responsibility though,” he mumbled. Kaede smiled slightly and nodded.

“You will be very generously compensated for it of course and the Prince is willing to take the chance…are you?” she asked, fearful of a rejection. After all she had promised the Prince that she would find him the right guide.

“Of course we are,” Koki exclaimed indignantly after Yuya refused to respond.

“There is nothing to worry about my dear Lady, Yuya and Hikaru may not look much but they are the best of the best!” he added with much fervor to Yuya’s displeasure.

Kaede gave him a short nod.

“I shall take my leave now, the details of the quest are in the envelope I gave you and we will be ready to depart in two days’ time,”

Koki rounded upon Yuya as she left.

“Stop being such a spoilt sport, you’re the best hunter in the kingdom!”

Yuya gave him a glare.

“I’m not good enough to keep Prince Yuto safe! None of us have ever ventured into the Forbidden Planes deep enough to be able to cross it, the wild life there is way beyond our level!”

Yuya scowled as Koki waved it off and gave him a good natured squeeze of the shoulder.

“Nonsense, there is nothing too dangerous for our Yuya, eh Yuriko-chan?”

The girl nodded enthusiastically as Yuya shrugged Koki off rudely and proceeded to leave the room. He stopped short as Hikaru spoke up.

“We’re leaving in two days? But wait…isn’t it the Prince’s birthday?” 

~*~

Ryosuke folded the letter neatly before placing it upon the table. The sky had darkened considerably, predicting an oncoming storm but the blue hue of the street beyond the shop’s glass window was beautiful.

It gave him peace, the soft light made everything feel like a dream. He moved swiftly to the top of the stairs before entering his small room and closing the door behind him. He had to be quick and finish this before Daiki returned.

He opened the trunk by his bed and pulled out the dagger, staring at the crystalline blade woefully before placing it above his wrist.

With him gone, nobody would get hurt. Not Daiki and not Yuto.

He bit his lip as the mere contact of the blade made his skin burn. He drew the blade upward, watching in shock as it ripped his skin with ease. It was painful, it was so very painful and Haru had wanted him to stab Yuto in the heart with it.

The door opened with a creak just as he collapsed upon the floor, gasping against the pain and the blood flowing down his arms.

“RYOSUKE!”

~*~


	16. Departure

 

Daiki released a shuddering sigh, rubbing his hands together in a tub of water to rid them of the stains of blood. Wiping his hands on a towel, his eyes fell upon the limp figure on the bed, breathing shallow and rather noisy. He walked over to him before settling by his side.

“Why would you do something like that?” he whispered anxiously, reaching out to stroke his head.  The colour had drained from the younger boy’s face and the fingers of his bandaged hand twitched occasionally.

“You’re the only family I have left, how could you try and leave me like that?”

Daiki blinked at the sudden sparkle of subtle light in his peripheral vision. He looked up to find the damned blade upon the floor, a golden glow coming alive from within its crystalline core. And then, as if by instinct, he reached out towards it, spreading his palm. He watched with a calm that surprised even himself as the blade rose into the air before drifting towards him and coming to rest upon his outstretched hand. He closed his fingers around it and the light died.

“I guess, it’s not really something I can run away from now is it,” he said, a little sadly. He jumped slightly at the sound of a pigeon cooing and gave the black bird sitting on his window sill a glare.

“What do you want?” he snapped but frowned as he noticed a rolled up message the pigeon was carrying. He sighed and got to his feet, pulling out the roll of paper and unfurling it.

His lips twitched at the words upon the paper and he crumpled it up. He narrowed his eyes at the bird sitting innocently by the ledge. They stared at each other for a bit, Daiki in contempt and the bird in apparent curiosity before the boy sighed and looked away.

“I better get you some crumbs, you have a long journey ahead of you,” he exhaled. The bird cooed gratefully.

The air was cold as it struck his face but he stood still and watched as the creature became a tiny blot in the night sky. He placed a hand over his aching heart.

“I don’t care if you’re his real flesh and blood, there is no way I’m going to give him up this easy,” he murmured. He jumped as he heard a cough and rushed to the younger boy’s side.

“Ryosuke?” he called carefully as the boy’s eyelids fluttered open.

“Dai…,”

Daiki rushed to pour the boy a glass of water as he launched into a coughing fit. He helped him into a sitting position before pulling the colder body against his own for support.

“Are you alright?” he asked, putting the glass away and sighing as the boy began to breathe normally.

“Yeah,” Ryosuke croaked.

“My head feels light though,”

“Why won’t it? If you remember, you tried to kill yourself,”

Daiki shook his head at the silence and proceeded to help Ryosuke lean against the headboard.

“Will you please tell me the reason for this drastic decision to end your life?”

Ryosuke avoided Daiki’s piercing gaze. He could tell the boy was mad, but more than that…he seemed disappointed.

“I…I don’t know how to explain this,” he began and coughed as he choked on his saliva. His heart was pounding in his chest but he could not muster up enough courage to look his brother in the eye. He felt ashamed somehow.

“My Aunt Haru came to the bakery today,”

“Haru? You mean the woman that brought you to us?” Daiki asked surprised. Ryosuke nodded and as calmly as possible related the details of her visit. There was a heavy silence in the air as he was done and neither boy did anything to break it.

After what seemed like an hour of sitting and staring at absolutely nothing in particular, Daiki got to his feet and to Ryosuke’s horror, grabbed the steel jug by his bed and flung it across the room, striking and breaking the little wall mirror.

Ryosuke blinked as the older boy crouched upon the floor with his head bent low and grabbed his hair in frustration.

“Daiki?” he called carefully only to jump as the boy got up and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Daiki leaned against the counter, stubborn tears flowing down his cheeks and teeth clenched in an anger he couldn’t control.

If Ryosuke leaves, he would be all alone. That wasn't fair, this wasn't fair at all. He had practically raised the younger boy along with himself with as much care and love as he was capable off and now? A blood relative was claiming his rights over the boy as if it was an easy trade.

And worst, that relative was the only way to keep him safe.

 Why was everything so difficult? Every single turn of life was a struggle but it was easier done because he had family, a brother with him. Everything he had done so far… what would be the point of it all if he had to be alone in the end anyway?

“Daiki?”

He wiped his tears quickly and turned around to see a concerned Ryosuke by the doorway.

“Pack your stuff quickly, we’re leaving,”

Ryosuke looked at him with a frown.

“Where to?”

“Don’t question me Ryosuke!”

Daiki felt horrible at the way the boy flinched at his harsh tone but kept up a stoic face.

“Just,” he began, a little more gently.

“Just trust me…and hurry up,”

Ryosuke nodded quietly and left to go about his appointed task. Daiki looked around his beloved bakery; eyes scanning over years of hard work and felt the need to hold back more tears.

Maybe, they’ll be able to return here someday…together.

“Papa…papa are you proud of me?”

~*~

 Yuto stood still as he let Keito help him with the buttons of his coat and adjust his brooch.

“Are you sure about this?”

Yuto turned around and gave his parents a grin.

“I’ve never been more sure, I have it all planned in my head. Just pray that I arrive home in one piece,”

His father gave him a frustrated glare as his mother started sobbing. Yuto rushed towards her, guilty of his inappropriate humor.

“Mama, don’t worry I was kidding…I’ll be fine, I’m your son after all,”

The queen nodded, pulling her lanky son down slightly to peck him on the forehead.

“Come back safe,”

“We’ll be fine,” he reassured her before turning upon his little company. Kouta was standing with the two guild members, Yuya and Hikaru as they had introduced themselves. They bowed as he gave them a friendly smile. Keito was assisting a reluctant Aoi onto her horse before moving onto his own.

He reached out for the reigns of his magnificent steed, the royal ring glinting under the morning sun. The artifact had been presented to him in a private ceremony earlier on, when he had been crowned king before the council members and other officials. The people would soon know that he had ascended the throne and left to accomplish his first task as King.

The ground was laden with snow from the previous night as the company of six took an isolated route to the highway, onward to the infamous Forbidden Planes.

Yuto touched his brooch, frowning at the slight glow.

 _Ryosuke;_  he wondered what the other boy was up to. He looked up at the sky, a brilliant blue but far south he could see a great rack of black clouds assembling.

He shuddered and was thankful that Leirion was east of his kingdom, even if it was across the Forbidden Planes. No fool in their right mind would head south, where Valian stood proud.

As the royal procession made their way across the many towns and villages on their way to the border, two _fools_ in hooded cloaks crossed the southern border, eyes upon the oncoming storm and hearts in a mess.

This journey was just a start.

 

 ~End of Arc Two~


	17. The Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two nations on the brink of war. A young King on a mission. Two brothers on a quest to preserve their ties. The bonds of friendship are pitted against the greed for power but the hidden strength lying dormant within the confines of a fragile heart has the ability to throw all asunder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC THREE : ALLIANCE

Yuto scanned his surroundings with much concentration. This place wasn’t familiar to his eyes, nevertheless it was intriguing.

He stood in a clearing surrounded by tall green hedges with multiple rose bushes upon the ground. There were four paths that led down seemingly never-ending corridors, all walled by these hedges. The grass was like a green carpet, very smooth in appearance and touch. He smiled at the colourful Koi fishes in the stone fountain, and loved the way the cool spray of water felt against his skin.

“Is this the center of a maze?” he thought aloud, also wondering on how he had gotten here.

“It seems so,”

He jumped at the voice and turned to point an accusing finger at the newcomer.

“You don’t scare people like that!” he thundered only to scowl as his offender snickered.

“Sorry,” the other boy added with a smile. Yuto felt himself relax and he beckoned him over.

“There are fishes in this fountain,” he pointed excitedly. The other boy’s eyes enlarged in surprise before his face broke into an eager smile. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a transparent bag of brown grain-like substance.

“I was wondering why I had this in my pocket,” the other boy mused. He reached for Yuto’s hand and poured a generous amount of the grains in it.

“Make a fist,” he said and Yuto obeyed, watching in quiet wonder as the other boy placed his hand under the water. He jumped and almost pulled his hand back if not for the firm grip the other had on him as the fishes swarmed around his fist and began sucking the grains out of his hand.

Yuto giggled. It tickled.

“Their teeth aren’t in their mouth, so they can't bite with them,” informed his companion as both pulled their now wet hands out of the pool. Yuto stared at the fishes in wonder.

“It’s good to see you again Yuto-kun,” the boy said quietly, plopping down on the fountain’s stone step. Yuto settled himself next to him.

“Has anything changed about me?” the young King asked good-naturedly. The other boy laughed.

“Well you did shoot up like a tree, what did they feed you at that academy?”

Yuto shrugged.

“What about me?”

Yuto looked at his friend.

“You have a more well-defined jaw now, and the extra padding on your cheeks is gone and your hair is shorter and you haven’t really grown much…,”

“Okay, too much detail!”

Yuto laughed as the other looked thoroughly freaked out.

“You asked for it,”

“I should’ve known better,”

The next few minutes were spent indulged in complete silence, eyes upon the shifting gray against the pale sky of eventide.

“Is this real?”

“Yes Ryo-chan, this is real,”

Ryosuke looked at the taller boy confused.

“How can you be sure?”

Yuto shrugged.

“I’m not, but I’ve only seen a glimpse of you at this age, if this were my dream you would’ve been younger,”

Ryosuke looked thoughtful.

“You have a point there; we haven’t really met since we were kids,”

“You still look like a kid though,”

“Your Highness…shut up,”

“It’s a compliment!”

Ryosuke shook his head with a smile.

“How is this possible I wonder,” he mused.

“I think I have an idea,” Yuto spoke and pulled out two ornaments from his own pocket. Ryosuke’s eyes widened at glowing stones.

“The brooches,”

Yuto nodded. He hooked the ruby one onto Ryosuke’s collar and the zircon one on his own. He sighed as the glow faded and the jewels sparkled innocently in the faint light.

“You don’t seriously believe it do you?” Ryosuke asked staring at the brooch in wonder.

“I don’t know if it will make a difference if I believe it or not, at least we got to meet up again,”

Ryosuke nodded with a small smile.

“You know,” Yuto began making Ryosuke look up at him.

“I feel like you and I have some sort of deeper connection. I mean we have been apart for so long yet you feel like a relative I haven’t met in a while but am bound to meet again due to our ties, if you get what I mean,”

“I think so,”

“Ryosuke, I have this weird…call it intuition, a very strong impulse…but it’s always guided me well. This time I have this feeling that something horrible is about to happen and the only way I can get through it, is if you and I work together,”

“What can I help you with? I’m just a bakery boy,” Ryosuke asked confused. Yuto smiled and shook his head.

“I’ve seen what bakery boys are capable of Ryo-chan, I know about the _Night Angel_ ordeal,”

Ryosuke turned red, eyes wide in shock.

“Ha…how di-did you…?”

“Never mind that, just promise me…that when the storm comes, you'll be there for me,”

Ryosuke still looked very much confused but he sighed before finally nodding.

“I will.”

~*~


	18. A Battle on the Plains

“Where is Hikaru-kun? He’s been gone for a while,”

“This fog is getting worse; do you think we should turn back for now?”

Yuto sighed thoughtfully, frowning as he realized that even if they did turn back, the fog was too thick and laying heavily on all sides. They might end up getting lost anyway.

“Yuya-kun?”

The lanky boy looked up at him, giving him a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry your highness, Hikaru’s a scout, he’s got a good set of ears and a keen sense of direction, he’ll be back soon,”

“But this fog…,”

“It’s nothing, I can still see for about a mile radius from where we stand, we’ll get you out of this safe I assure you,”

“That’s… incredible,” Yuto commented, earnestly meaning it. He blinked as he felt Yuya frown.

“Kou, stay close to the prince!” he said suddenly, voice laced with caution. Yuto’s eyes widened at the use of his guardian’s nickname by the hunter. He looked down as Kouta held his horse’s reins and drew his sword. Yuto reached for Keito as he and Aoi maneuvered their steeds closer to his.

“What is it?” Yuto whispered to Kouta who shook his head, eyes upon the hunter.

“Aoi what are you doing?” Keito hissed as the girl dismounted. She gave him a shot apologetic bow before placing herself a little behind Yuya, putting on her glasses and withdrawing a dagger.

“Everyone quiet!” Yuya warned, and Yuto felt his breath catch in his chest. They waited in complete silence for what seemed like an hour until the sound of a twig being snapped in half made them all jump.

Yuto felt a shiver run down his spine as he heard a low hiss and the sound of something sliding over gravel.

“We’re surrounded,” Yuya spoke in a low voice. Aoi looked at him with wide eyes.

“There’s more than one?” she gasped.

“No, it’s only one…but it has us surrounded,”

Aoi frowned. She looked at Keito anxiously and then back at Yuya with determination.

“What is it?”

The horses began to get restless despite their masters’ attempts to soothe them.

“Your Highness, Your Lordship, please dismount your steeds,” Yuya spoke and the boys followed, Yuto immediately grabbing Keito in a death grip.

“It’s surrounding us,” Yuya added with a scowl. Kouta made signs with his hands that Yuto couldn’t comprehend but by the looks of it both Aoi and Yuya had gotten it as the girl blanched and Yuya nodded gravely.

“We need a fire,” Yuya muttered and Yuto felt his knees wobble as the surroundings became darker, as if a great shadow was looming over them from all sides.

“Leave that to me,” Aoi replied. She clapped her hands twice and threw them in the air and Yuto yelped as the air around them exploded, giving rise to a wall of fire that enclosed them within itself. The horses went berserk, successfully pulling out of their masters’ grip and galloping through the flames and out of sight.

They could hear hissing and spitting sounds and Yuya smiled in triumph as he realized that the flames were driving the creature back…for now.

“She’s a mage,” Keito said in response to Yuto’s shocked look.

“Be prepared it will strike again,” Yuya warned, raising his blade.

And he was right. As the flames began to reside, Yuto saw to his horror the body of a giant serpent and (he gulped) it’s many heads.

Aoi began to cast her second enchantment and Yuto found Keito and himself trapped in a glass-like dome.

“Aoi!” Keito shouted but the two could do nothing but watch as the remaining trio dodged the attacking heads and striking when there was an opening. It was getting harder, even with Aoi and her fire spells, Yuya and Kouta’s exemplary swordplay the serpent was relentless. No matter how many heads Yuya managed to slice off with his sword, there were countless others now savagely attacking from all directions.

“Yuya-san!” Aoi shouted over the burst of her flames as the boy dodged an attack but tripped over a log. Kouta rushed to her side and struck a head aiming for her from behind. Yuto cowered as two heads relentlessly tried to reach him through Aoi’s shield despite being electrocuted every time they struck it.

“I’m trying to listen for its heart, we need to find it before it tires us out!” Yuya gasped rolling away as a head snapped at him.

Yuto screamed as the serpent’s massive tail appeared onto the scene and flicked Kouta sending him sprawling almost a couple of feet away. Aoi fell onto her knees, all her energy now focused on the shield around Yuto.

“We have to do something!” Keito exclaimed, frightened eyes upon the worn out Aoi.

A large screech made them look up to the sky and Yuto had to shield his eyes as sunlight broke through. He saw a flash of brilliant blue and just when he thought it was just the sky all the remaining serpent’s heads began to rise gradually, away from the ground and closer to the winged creature hovering above them.

“Perfect,” Yuya smirked and got to his feet. The heads were all intent on reaching the creature that as it rose, the rest of its body became apparent. Yuya fixed his gaze on the root of all the heads and raised his sword.

 He flung the sword with surprising force and Yuto felt as if everything else had come to a stand-still.

“Yes!” Yuya exclaimed as the sword successfully implanted itself within the serpent’s body. The creature spitted and hissed, heads waving about like Medusa’s hair before crashing down with an enormous quake of the ground. Kouta dashed towards Aoi and pulled her away just in time as three of the serpent’s head fell upon the earth where she had been.

Yuto and Keito collapsed against each other as the smoke cleared and the shield disappeared, too shocked to be able to say anything sane.  

“Is it dead?” Yuto croaked as he crawled towards a worn out Kouta. The older gave him a reassuring smile.

Yuya got to his feet, casually dusting himself before shaking the sand out of his shiny hair.

“Yeah,” he spoke observing the unmoving body of the large reptile. Now that the fog had cleared could they see just how massive the creature was. Yuto ran his gaze around the barren planes and the burnt shrubbery around them. He looked up to see the large blue winged creature flying away.

“That was fun though,” Yuya added good-naturedly only to flinch as he received death glares from the rest of the company.

“Wow seriously? I was wondering what the festivities were about,”

Yuya waved as he spotted Hikaru walking towards them with their horses in tow.

“I can’t believe I’ve missed this,” Hikaru exclaimed as Yuya pulled out his blood-covered sword.

“Take the heart and a fang and some scales, that should be enough for now,” Yuya suggested and Hikaru nodded happily. The rest of the company gulped and turned away, too disturbed to watch Hikaru go about his task.

“What are you doing?” Yuto asked finally as Yuya was done transferring the blood from his sword into a vial.

“You do realize Your Highness that we have killed the guardian of the Forbidden Plaines, one of the biggest reasons these planes were ‘ _forbidden_ ’?”

“That’s…that’s horrible!” Yuto exclaimed mortified. Yuya shrugged.

“It was inevitable, we were warned about it and were expecting it but boy were we lucky that it was the first thing we encountered,”

“Lucky?” Keito asked flabbergasted.

“Well, we smell of its blood and that’s enough to draw any other unwanted creature away from us so I guess the remainder of our journey will be pretty uneventful,”

“Also, scholars have assumed that this serpent’s blood, fangs and scales all have elusive qualities, our Guild will earn a fortune with these!” Hikaru added happily wiping his hands.

“What was that bird?” Yuto asked trying to distract himself from anger at the violation of a dead creature that did nothing wrong but try to defend its territory.

“Oh, that was Mikan,” Yuya replied picking up a blue feather from the ground.  Hikaru grimaced at the sight of approaching scavengers.

“Alright people, I see vultures gathering, we shouldn’t be staying here…let’s go!”

~*~


	19. Abandoned

It was a rude awakening but it left him wondering on how he had fallen asleep in the first place. He and Daiki were on the back of a horse wagon, snuggled under a large sheet to protect themselves from the pouring rain.

Neither had spoken a word since they had set out from the village. It was next to impossible though, unless they would shout in each other’s ears to be heard over the downpour. He squinted against the curtain of water to try and make out the terrain. The many ponds and farms of Hasshi had now been replaced by a barren field of dirt and stones on which their wagon rocked and wobbled on.

 They had departed from Akatsuki a few days ago, stating to the officials their reason for crossing the borders as a visit to the small farming village of Hasshi for fresh supplies. They had reached the village in a few days’ time where they had then befriended a local trader. The man had thankfully agreed to take them to Valian on his wagon.

Ryosuke was frightened beyond belief at the thought of returning to a place he had first run away from as a child. There were too many painful memories, (his parent’s murder being just one) and not to mention the people who wanted his life. He stole a glance at the boy next to him, trying to figure out what the older of the two may have in mind. Daiki seemed too lost in his own contemplations to even notice him staring though so he looked away with a sigh.

All he could do was trust his brother. He had done well so far doing just that anyway.

He tugged his collars and frowned as he felt a lump. His eyes widened at the sight of the ruby brooch.

“Thirsty?”

He jumped slightly as Daiki had spoken right into his ear and nodded gratefully as the boy handed him a flask. He drank generously, having almost forgotten about his body’s need for water ever since they left the village.

Handing the flask back to his brother he yawned, eyes tearing up as he did. He leaned against Daiki, head on his shoulder and smiled as Daiki did the same. The shower had decreased in intensity and the dark clouds shifted a bit, revealing a patch of gold that made him squint. He smiled and despite the rough road and the cold, couldn’t help but give in to an irrepressible sleep.

He didn’t expect that he would feel so much at peace in a state like this. Yet he hoped it would last, forever if possible.

~*~

 “Ryosuke, wake up,”

The boy blinked his eyes; head still heavy from the effects of his sleep. It took him a moment to collect himself and he indulged in the sound of his own breathing and the feeling of his heart beating in his chest.

He sat up with a start as the unfamiliarity of the surroundings struck him like a thunderbolt. He began to realize with growing dread that he was no longer on the wagon but on a warm and comfortable four poster bed.  The lacy curtains had been tied, letting him run his anxious gaze upon the massive circular chamber. The tall windows let in a beautiful yet subtle glow and the rest of the light came from the many candelabras placed around the room.

The bed seemed to be on a slightly raised platform right next to the largest window in the room and at the very center was a magnificent stone fountain, similar in fashion to the one he saw in his dream encounter with Yuto.

He looked down at his clothes and realized his traveling attire had been replaced by a loose white collared shirt and black trousers.

“You are awake, finally,”

He jumped at the voice and watched with caution as a woman in a luminous white dress approached him, carrying in her hands a tray with soup and bread. She placed the tray on a table next to his bed.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

The woman’s hazel pupils flicked upon him and he swore they seemed almost sympathetic.

“You - are both a guest and a prisoner depending on how you choose to handle the situation,”

Ryosuke gulped, looking around him frantically.

“Daiki…where’s Daiki?”

The woman laughed lightly.

“Look outside your window,”

He did and gasped as he spotted a figure in a very familiar black cloak walking down a wide cobblestone path towards the large iron gates. He placed his trembling hands upon the cool glass and felt his eyes sting as the figure stopped and turned around.

He searched, even from the distance, his brother’s face for any trace of reassurance as the other boy looked up and their eyes met. He frowned at the desperation in the other’s eyes and unconsciously whined as the older boy lowered his gaze, almost guiltily before turning around and hastening for the gates.

“No…Daiki no please come back,” Ryosuke pleaded, eyes welling up with tears. Why was this happening? How could he do this to him?

He could only wonder in despair as the older boy’s figure disappeared out the gates.

_Daiki…why?_


	20. Leirion

“I think I’m going to retire when we get back, I’m so tired I might have aged a decade!”

Yuya nodded wearily at Hikaru’s words as they plodded on upon the grass. They had successfully crossed the Forbidden Planes with little to no trouble and the barren lands had now been replaced by a lush rain forest.

“Are we there yet?” Yuto whined from behind his horse. Kouta gave him an amused smile.

“I think, we should have stepped into the elven territory an hour ago…but I see no elves,” Keito muttered scrutinizing the map in his hand. Aoi sighed wearily.

“Haven’t we seen this tree before?” Yuto asked confused as they crossed a large willow-like tree with soft white blossoms. Kouta frowned.

Suddenly the hunter and his scout came to an abrupt halt bringing the entire party into a standstill.

“What is it?” Yuto whispered steadying his horse.

“We’re being watched,” Yuya replied, a hand on the hilt of his sword.

“And I also think we’re going around in circles,” Hikaru added with a scowl. The horses neighed and shook, taking all of their masters’ skills to subdue them as three panthers slid out from the bushes. Their coats shone in the faint light and golden eyes glowed as they advanced upon the company with low growls.

“Oh great…perfect,” Hikaru grumbled throwing his hands in the air in frustration. He jumped as one of the panther’s made a swipe at him.

“Easy there,”

Yuto sighed in relief as a lithe figure appeared from the foliage and made the panthers disperse with an elegant wave of his hand.

“We’ve been expecting you King Yuto,” spoke the tall elf, hands folded across his chest. His nose wrinkled all of a sudden and he blinked at the company.

“I know we smell bad, but we’ve been travelling for a while now,” Keito explained embarrassed. Yuto sniffed himself. The man shook his head.

“It isn’t that, I’ve seen you had a run in with the great Serpent,”

“Oh you can tell?” Yuya asked impressed. Hikaru smacked him on the head.

“He’s an elf stupid, remember the stories your dad used to tell us about them?” he hissed under his breath.

“Come, I will lead you to the palace,” the man offered turning on his heels.

Yuto nodded gratefully.

They walked in silence through the forest, eyes upon their new guide and wariness towards the three panthers tailing them suspiciously. Yuto dismounted all of a sudden and handing Kouta his reigns strode over to match the elf’s pace.

“If you don’t my being blunt, who are you?”

The man gave a polite nod.

“Kazuya, I am the captain of the palace guards,”

“It’s nice to meet you Kazuya-san!” Yuto exclaimed cheerily. Kazuya nodded again, eyes never leaving the path ahead but Yuto swore he saw a slight tug on his lips.

“So, Leirion is like really green isn’t it?” Yuto commented as they walked on, stepping over stones, roots and shrubbery.

“This is just the border, but yes…Leirion is very green and it’s like this the whole year round,”

“No snow?”

Kazuya shook his head.

“We have moderate temperatures, lots of sunshine with the occasional rain but no it has never snowed here,”

“I see,”

“We’re here,”

“Eh?”

Yuto stared at the large boulder covered in foliage baring their path. His eyes glued themselves on Kazuya as the elf walked towards the bolder and…knocked.

Not that it was normal to be knocking on a stone in the first place…also Yuto presumed it would be quite painful as well but Kazuya did it. He knocked and it was a soundless albeit urgent rapping on the stone.

He had to hold himself from screaming as the boulder began rolling sideways revealing bit by bit a blinding light. Yuto jumped as he felt a slender hand around his own.

“This way,”

Eyes closed he let himself be guided through the doorway of light and blinked to adjust himself as he was thru. What he saw though left him gaping.

Before him was the greenest valley he had ever seen. He could make out 5 large waterfalls on the mountain range that walled the land with multiple rivers branching out and slithering around the grounds from the pools like a beautiful pattern. Nestled amongst the water was a fair amount of land occupied by gray-roofed buildings, gardens, orchards and the like. Standing further than that was the grand palace. Unlike Yuto’s which was a large and tall stone building with its many towers, this one was closer to the ground, much more spread out and had a red roof. Even from the distance Yuto could make out gardens and pools and bridges within its grounds.

“Shall we?” Kazuya offered and Yuto, mouth still agape nodded.

They began to descend, very obviously awestruck with their surroundings. The hill they were upon sloped down to meet a river over which an intricately crafted bridge stood.

“There are, so many…flowers,” Yuto commented as he noticed that there was abundance of them, growing wildly upon the grounds.

“Lilies, our Kingdom is known for its wide variety of lilies and Your Highness…what you see before you is just our Capital,”

“You mean there is more?” Yuto exclaimed shocked. Kazuya nodded with smile.

There was too much to see to notice the remaining distance they had to cross. The people of Leirion were very happy and very welcoming and everything from the markets to the streets felt like an ongoing festival.

Aoi blushed as a dashing young florist offered her a fresh garland but glared as Keito snatched it away with a curt ‘ _thank you’_.

 _‘Home was once like this,’_ thought Yuto rather bitterly.

“There is so much water, it’s making me thirsty,” commented Hikaru as they crossed a bridge over a lotus pond in the castle grounds. The palace wasn’t any different. The audience chamber was lit by lanterns and there were two large fountains on each side of the carpet that led to a pile of luxurious cushions.

“Is that the throne?” Keito mused.

“I think so,” Aoi replied surprised.

Yuto couldn’t help but laugh. This was so much like…

“YUTTIE!!!

~*~


	21. Fatigue

He doesn’t remember how long he had stayed that way; arms wrapped around his legs, chin on his knees, eyes on his bare feet. He was bewildered, confused but now he just wanted to stop thinking, stop wondering and stop guessing. No good comes out of any of those anyway.

“You should have some food, your sleep was that of intoxication, you will feel ill if you don’t eat,”

Ryosuke lifted a weary gaze to meet with the woman’s. _Intoxication?_ He frowned.

“I was drugged?” he asked in shock.

“You appeared almost dead when that boy brought you to our King, but we were reassured by him that it was just a sleeping potion, you must be reluctant if he had to go that far,”

Ryosuke sunk into the pillows, speechless in complete disbelief.

_Daiki…his Daiki…drugged him?_

“The King is disappointed with you. I’m sure that woman Haru had explained to you your task…you lingered too long, the Prince of Akatsuki has left the kingdom as the new King,”

Ryosuke sighed in relief, despite the shock of Daiki handing him over to Valian like this, at least Yuto was safe.

“What does the King want with me?” he asked quietly.

“The men after your life are a rebel group, so you and the King have mutual enemies…I suppose his sympathy for you stems from that matter,”

So, it was the King Aunt Haru had been talking about. He sighed.

“What else does he want from me?”

He inched away as the woman sat on the side of his bed, tray in hand.

“I shall only speak with you after you have eaten,” she said firmly. Ryosuke stared at the bowl of soup and bit his lip. He was really hungry. Red faced, he nodded and reached for the tray.

It was uncomfortable having someone watch you as you ate, but after the first bite did Ryosuke realize just how hungry he’d been to even care of the woman’s amused gaze upon him.

“You must excuse my poor manners,” she said lightly taking the tray from him as he was done.

“You very slightly resemble someone I knew, but you are not like her at all,”

Ryosuke watched her dispose of the cutlery to a male servant that had just entered before saying something to him in a low voice. The man nodded before leaving the room.

“Should I have been like her?” he asked confused as she approached him again.

“I guess; that’s how things work but I’m glad you’re not,”

He blinked at her as she sat down again.

“I really have forgotten my manners today, my name is Amaya,”

“Amaya?”

She smiled.

“Yes, and I’m the lady of this castle,”

~*~

He walked down the road with heavy steps, arms tight around his shivering figure. The street was unfamiliar and the people seemed even more so. It was a serious atmosphere with people going about their own business with urgency and diligence.

Amongst them he felt small, isolated…insignificant.

A group of youths passed by him talking heatedly about war, the economy and political unrest. He then spotted a mother with her two children bargaining with a street vendor across from where he stood. The oldest child looked around 5, his little fingers intertwined with those of his younger brother. The younger boy spotted Daiki staring, looked at him curiously at first before latching himself onto his older brother in fright.

His eyelids fell tight upon his gazers and fresh tears leaked from them. He could not for the life of him forget the shock on Ryosuke’s face.

The boy had trusted him with his life…

“LOOK OUT!”

Daiki stared in shock as he was pulled backwards, narrowly avoiding a passing carriage.

“YOU COULD’VE  GOTTEN RUN OVER BY THE HORSES YOU CRAZY PERSON! WHAT WERE YOU…oh…why…why are you crying?”

Daiki quickly wiped his tears and gave the tall boy that had just saved his life a curt nod.

“I’m fine…and thank you,”

“You don’t seem fine,” the boy insisted, large eyes brimming with concern. Daiki shook his head.

“Never seen you around, are you from out of town?” the boy insisted.

Daiki shook his head.

“Wait…a foreigner?”

“I was born here,”

“Then where do you live?”

Daiki bit his lip and shook his head, lowering his head to hide more tears.

“Oh boy, come on, come with me,”

And so Daiki walked in silence behind the taller boy, unknowing of his destination and seriously not caring. Normally, he would’ve been extremely embarrassed for breaking down in front of a stranger, but he felt like he had lost all control.

“Here, in here,”

Daiki looked up from his feet to realize that they were standing outside a small Inn.

“We don’t have many customers yet cause we just opened a few days ago so you’ll have some privacy…and don’t worry about the money…it’s on the house!”

Daiki looked at the boy, bewildered as he followed his lanky figure into the small building. The lobby was  a cozy looking place with a sitting area and fire place.

“Ayu-san!”

The boy frowned at the vacant room before giving Daiki an apologetic look.

“Sit here, I’ll go talk to the owner,”

“Um…thank you…?”

“Yuma!” the boy said cheerfully. Daiki nodded with a genuine smile.

“Thank you Yuma,”

“Oh, my father will be coming in soon, just in case my finding Ayu-san takes longer than expected and if he asks about me let him know what I’m up to…please?”

“Um…sure,”

Daiki made himself comfortable on one of the seats next to the fireplace, warming his shivering being and just trying to get himself together.

He looked at the door as it tingled open and watched as a man stepped in. Their eyes met…deep brown with electrifying blue and both reflected a similar reaction.

“Daiki/Zach?”

~*~


	22. To Save A Life

“Hmm, I see,” sighed the young elven king, looking thoroughly out of place with multiple small umbrellas in his hair and a serious frown on his face.

Yuto sipped on the multi-coloured drink in his hand, enjoying the wonderful tastes exploding on his toungue. Keito nodded nervously at the’ malicious looking attendant’ of the king, who to the contrary to his previous assumption seemed more approachable with the goofy smile plastered on his pale face.

“Well, I believe in an age such as ours, kings should busy themselves in growing their own kingdoms instead of engaging in conquest,” Yuri finally concluded, folding his arms over his chest. His attendant nodded seriously, eyes still upon the doorway to the gardens. Yuri gave him a sideway glance before rolling his eyes.

“Kei-chan, I know you’re not really paying attention so just go out and play with Kouta-kun and his friends,”

Kei gave him a gracious bow before skipping off happily. Keito blinked as he and Aoi watched him leave in awe.

“So, what do you think I should do?” Yuto asked.

“I’m glad you chose to seek my council, I believe the ruler of Valian has nothing more but power on his mind, and the only goal of his conquest is to use up other nations resources for his own ambitions, that I cannot allow,”

Yuto nodded as Yuri snuggled deeper in his cushions.

“But Yuttie, no matter how you look at it…there will be war,” he added, quieter this time. Yuto frowned.

“What if we both try to talk him out of it?”

Yuri shook his head.

“After what you told me that happened to Kouta-kun, I can hardly imagine he’s willing to listen or compromise on his existing plans,”

“So, now what?”

Yuri sat up and hugged his knees.

“We go meet that healer you have heard about, to try and cure Kou-chan…when that’s over, we’ll mull over the problem together, a solution will come up…don’t worry,”

Yuto smiled at the sincerity in his friend’s voice. It was this much compassion that had produced such a prosperous nation.

“Yuri!”

The small company looked at the doorway where Kei stood completely out of breath and shock written all over his face.

“What is it Kei-chan?” Yuri asked as they all got to their feet.

“Kouta…he’s unconscious.”

~*~

Yuma watched the two people on the couches by the fireplace with intense curiosity from behind the counter. They weren’t really talking so after a few more minutes of waiting for a conversation to start he left the Inn to tend to his own business.

After what seemed like an hour of just sitting and staring into the fire, Zach cleared his throat and successfully gained Daiki’s attention as if the boy had been waiting for him to make the first move.

“So, never thought I’d see you here of all places,” Zach said leaning back into his armchair. Daiki sighed, rubbing his aching temples.

“I never thought I’d be returning here either, but here I am,”

“I remember the last and only time we met was at Hasshi wasn’t it?”

Daiki gave him a look.

“You’re making it sound like it was a chance meeting!  You sent me a letter and asked me to come,”

Zach nodded.

“Yes, but you never reply to my mails Daiki, I’m hurt,”

“I feed your stupid pigeon so be thankful,”

“Hey! I am! Mana is very fond of you,”

“Why are we having such a useless conversation?”

“Because Ryosuke is a very sensitive topic for both of us and I thought going straight to the point might be difficult,”

Daiki felt a lump in his throat and he was temporarily silenced at the mention of that name. Zach sighed.

“I figured as much,”

Daiki looked away.

“I handed him to the King so he probably hates me now,”

Zach scowled.

“You should have consulted me before making such a move! I know you have his best interests at heart but I’m his blood-brother!”

Daiki gave Zach a surprisingly dangerous look which was successful enough to make even the ex-soldier wary. The flames danced eerily for a brief moment as if caught in a breeze despite the windows being shut.

“You know it perfectly Zach that... ** _so am I_**.”

~*~

Yuri could tell that Yuto was on the verge of falling apart with his precious guardian in a coma. Their carriage was rolling down a smooth road, further and further away from the city. The healer Yuto had asked about was an immigrant who ran an apothecary in the suburbs by the eastern forest.

It was an irony since the man and his family had come from Valian a decade ago.

~*~


	23. The Healer’s Pendant and the Abandoned Child

Yuto jerked awake from a disturbed sleep as the carriage came to a stop. He blinked wearily at Yuri who seemed to be rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The door opened and an anxious Hikaru gave them both a quick bow before reaching to gather the unconscious body of his friend.  An equally worried Yuya helped to secure Kouta on Hikaru’s back.

“You all know each other really well it seems,” Yuri commented walking over to the three.

“We’re friends from our childhood,” Hikaru replied.

Yuto sighed.

He hadn’t known that. As a matter of fact he knew nothing about his guardian’s personal life. He knew the older boy was born in a village north of the capital of Akatsuki and he knew that he loved to study and that he loved him like a real brother, but besides that…nothing. Kouta had always spoiled him in every way possible. It had always been about the prince, like Kouta’s life revolved around him and nothing else.

It made him feel guilty and it made him scared…what if he never gets the chance to know him more? To see him married? To play with his children? To let him know just how much he meant to him…

“This place,” Keito began, taking his coat from Aoi. Yuto scanned the area and found himself staring at his surroundings in wonder. Against the backdrop of a dark green forest stood a cottage enclosed within its own grounds by a wired fence. On the right of the cottage was a greenhouse larger than the house and the front garden was laden with fruit-bearing plants.

Just as they stood taking in the view the front door opened and a teenage boy stepped out, followed closely by a younger girl.

“Can I help you?” asked the boy and then bowed as he recognized Yuri.

“Yo Shintaro! Is your dad home? We need to talk to him,” replied the King with a cheerful wave of the hand. The boy nodded with a smile and sent his little sister tottering back into the house.

“Please come in,” he added opening the door wide for them. The company made their way into the house, which was bigger than what it seemed from the outside.

Shintaro pulled out a mattress from a cupboard and laid it upon the floor before giving room for Hikaru to place Kouta upon it.

Yuto sat upon the sofa in the little living room, eyes upon the stove visible from where he sat. There was a pot on and the smell in the air coming from whatever was boiling was bitter and spicy. It made his eyes sting a little.

“Your Grace! Welcome to my humble home! How may I be of service?”

Yuri stood up to greet the cheerful looking man that had just descended the stairs. His eyes widened as he spotted Kouta.

“What happened to this young man?” he exclaimed proceeding to examine him. Yuto felt his heart sink as the man’s face became grave upon pulling down Kouta’s collar and spotting the mark.

“He went to Valian, and came across a group of people that did this to him, can you cure him?” he asked with a hint of desperation to his voice.

“There is no herb or medicine that can cure this curse, your friend has had the misfortune of running into a cult group that even the people of Valian fear and despise but can say nothing because the King protects them,”

“So…there is no cure?” Yuto chocked, swaying slightly as his knees wobbled. Keito gripped his shoulders to keep him steady.

The man looked thoughtful.

“There may be…it’s worth a try…Shintaro, get your brother,”

“There is something?” Yuto asked hopefully.

“My son, has a gift…he has healed wounds thought impossible, he may be able to help your friend,”

“Please…anything!”

The man nodded.

“Please assist me in getting him to the back room and then please wait out here, my daughter will get you all some ginger tea,”

“A gift huh?” Yuri mused aloud as the apothecary disappeared into the back room. Yuto’s eyes flicked upon the person descending the stairs and then immediately onto a large pendent with a black stone hanging from his neck. He blinked, something felt odd. The boy coming down the stairs avoided his gaze, although very obviously vary of the stare.

“Who is that?” he asked as the boy walked into the healing room without a backward glance.

“That’s Ryutaro, the eldest of his three children, a good kid but not at all social…I didn’t know he could heal though,” Yuri answered.

Yuto nodded and lapsed into silence, for some reason finding it hard to get that pendant out of his mind.

~*~

Ryosuke opened his eyes, body heavy and his head light. For the past few hours, he had been doing nothing but sleeping and waking up after strange nightmares that slipped his mind as soon as he was up. He wiped the last vestiges of tears that he didn’t realize he was shedding as he slept and sat up.

“You mumble some incomprehensible language in your sleep,”

He jumped as he spotted Queen Amaya on a seat near his bed, a book in hand. She smiled as he muttered a squeaky ‘sorry’ with a red face.

“Do you want to hear a story?” she asked moving over to his bed and placing herself gracefully upon the side.

He looked at her confused but nodded nonetheless.

“A kingdom once had a princess. She was full of life and beautiful, but impulsive and rather rash. Her father was very fond of her and he wanted the princess to be entrusted to a man he valued and thought highly of. There was such a man, but he was older and a widow with a child of his own. The king however, threw caution to the wind and declared the two engaged. The princess was distraught, not because her fiancé wasn’t a good man or that he already had a child, but because she had fallen for somebody else,”

“Somebody else?”

“Yes, a young man from another Kingdom whom she had met at a local festival,”

 Ryosuke’s eyes widened and his interest increased.

“What then?”

“The man promised her everlasting love…marriage if she would return with him to his own Kingdom,”

“They eloped?”

“Well, yes they did…but they couldn’t leave the girl’s kingdom because the army was scouting the borders for the missing princess, so they settled at a small village and began to lead a happy life together,”

“So, they lived happily ever after?”

The lady shook her head with a smile.

“No, unfortunately….one year after the birth of their child, the King had found them. Enraged by the ordeal, he ordered for the man and his child to be executed. The princess, horrified for the fate of her beloved family, offered a trade. She would return and carry out her duties if her husband and son would be left alone. The King agreed to this and the princess returned to her castle, bitter and hateful but emotions masked behind silence and obedience. Her first marriage was broken off and she was then wed to her original fiancé, who was a duke and the son of the King’s best friend. Soon after she gave birth to her second child, but passed away soon after due to ill health. Her first husband, who had lingered in her Kingdom to be close to her even in thoughts, left with his son…swearing to never return again.”

“What happened to her second child?” Ryosuke asked. Amaya stared at the floor and he was surprised to see a tear.

“She hated that child. She said that it wasn’t love that brought him to be. She found him ugly and would scream if he was brought to her. I offered to take care of him, but she was against it. She instead secretly gave him away.”

“Wait, you offered? Are you telling me that this story is real?”

Amaya looked at him sadly.

“The princess was my older sister; and that child that she abandoned… _was you_.”

~*~


	24. The Healer’s Secret

The room wasn’t lit but it wasn’t dark either. There was a subtle glow, akin to a low flame… gold with a bit of red. It felt warm, just like a flare and its presence was almost comforting. There was a slight breeze as well but he couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

He blinked his eyes at the darkness above him and around him and at the subtle light paving the way thru and it made him wonder.

Where was he now?

His body, he couldn’t tell where his body was since he couldn’t even move his face to look. He must be lying down. The surface below him felt hard but there was something soft underneath his head.

He gasped as he felt a tremble run through his entire being and his muscles tensed. It felt as if a strange heat was seeping out of him.

It hurt, as the heat left his body began to shiver and his eyes stung badly.

“It’s almost done; you were asleep through the harder part,”

His pupils flicked to the source of the voice and found the source of the light.

The boy’s face was hidden by the glow of his pendent but his fingers were lined against each other in a diamond formation in front of the glowing jewel.

 There was a sudden stiffness in his spine and it made him jerk, head thrown back against and a strangled yell escaped his throat as he felt something rising from his within his breathing tube. He coughed and gagged as he felt something akin to thick smoke pull itself out through his throat and almost collapsed from the lack of air when everything stopped.

~*~

Yuto stared at the drink in his hand. He could hear low chattering behind him but paid nobody any heed. It had been a while that they had taken Kouta into the back room and those long hours had felt like torture.

_I’m so selfish…it’s all my fault…his pain is because of me…_

“Yuto,”

He dropped the mug, spilling its contents onto the floor at the sound of the familiar voice, a voice he hadn’t heard in so long.

He got to his feet, eyes welling with tears as he turned to face his guardian.

“You know, I’ve been wanting to say this for a while now…something I noticed when I came to pick you up at the academy…,”

Yuto blinked. Kouta smiled sheepishly.

“We’re actually the same height now!”

Yuto shook his head and sniffed as Kouta ruffled his hair.

 “I hope you’re feeling better?”

Yuto smiled as the Apothecary descended the stairs and Kouta nodded fervently.

“Where is your son? I have to thank him personally!” said the young King, eyes shining with delight.

“There’s no need for that,”

All eyes fell upon the lanky boy that had just walked out of the back room. There was a strange air about him and Yuto couldn’t help but feel…intimidated.

 “You saved my life…thank you,” Kouta stated with a slight bow. Yuto frowned as the boy smirked.

“Yeah sure, just letting you know that though the curse is gone, it’s going to take a while for you to recover your full strength, so don’t push your luck,” he replied coolly.

 “I apologize, he has never been one for manners,” spoke the Apothecary giving his son a glare.

“He’s quite a talent,” remarked Keito with a hint of wonder to his voice.  The man nodded with a smile.

“Even we, his family are not fully accustomed to this ability, we reckoned he picked it up in our homeland,”

“If you don’t mind me asking…you’re from?” Keito asked. Hikaru raised an eyebrow at the brief flicker of tension on the elf King’s face.

“Valian,” Ryutaro answered, his voice laced with caution instead as the Apothecary hesitated.  Yuto’s head snapped in his direction. The boys glared at each other for a couple of minutes until Yuri’s fingers snapped between them, breaking the tie.

“May I remind you that this is a peace zone, so no spitefully looks from either of you,”

“That was never my intention,” Ryutaro replied shortly before marching up the stairs and out of sight.

The Apothecary bowed.

“Please forgive me Your Excellency! He used to be an obedient child, but he changed incredibly after he received that pendant,”

“He’s become an arrogant blockhead,” Shintaro snapped from a corner.

“Where did he get that?” Yuri asked with a frown.

“It was rewarded to him by the King of Valian on his 7th birthday, we were very much surprised by the gift and the offer for such a young boy to join the royal council, it frightened us you see and that is one of the reasons of why we left the country,”

The room fell into a strange silence. They were indebted to him, he had saved Kouta’s life after all but Yuto couldn’t help but feel cautious.

He could sense something about this boy, and this something seemed very much like a threat.

~*~

Ryutaro slumped onto the floor, completely out of breath.

“Wasn’t expecting it to be such a complicated curse,” he spoke shakily, pushing himself to sit up against the wall. He held the pendant in his palm and stared at the soft golden glow.

“If _he_ used _them_ on that man, he must have been desperate,”

He got to his feet and approached the window, staring out at the clear sky with a thoughtful sigh.

“Hmph, I guess it can’t be helped, I best get back.”

~*~  


	25. Unfolding

“Keep me updated now,” Yuri said with a pout, trying to ignore Kei, Yuya, Hikaru and Kouta squabbling unintelligibly behind the lanky King with Keito eyeing them nervously.

“I’m banking on your support Yuri,” Yuto replied and grinned as he got a firm nod from the shorter boy.

“Oii! What are you guys going on about?” Aoi bellowed, freezing the quarrelling group.

“You’re making Keito-sama anxious!” she exclaimed, her glare murderous.

“It…it’s okay Aoi…really!” Keito stuttered frankly as taken aback at her outburst as everyone else.

“Is everything…um…okay?” Keito asked, rounding upon the cowering group and looking apologetic.

“No, everything is not okay! We had to risk our necks and plough through the Forbidden Planes and these guys here are telling us there is a shorter, SAFER route to Akatsuki from here!”

Yuto blinked at the fuming Hikaru and then at Kei who stood thoroughly impassive.

“Oh, well…it is a highway that bypasses the Planes, it was built by my ancestors and the only reason we haven’t told you about it up till now is because the passage is only open  to those who have braved the planes, simple really,” Yuri replied calmly.

“Oh, so it will be ok if we use it now?” Aoi asked to which Kazuya nodded.

“Yes of course, it is the most convenient option,” he added.

“Along the road we have set up various facilities for travellers and our soldiers are stationed at specific check posts, it will be fairly comfortable. And if you must know, the facilities were my idea,” Yuri boasted, eyes twinkling.

Yuto stared at the young King in wonder. The boy had ascended the throne at the young age of 7 and despite doubts from his own people; he had managed to maintain such prosperity within his nation that it was almost unbelievable. He was born for the job, that’s for sure.

He on the other hand, was nothing close.

“You’ll be fine ‘King’ Yuto,” spoke the elf with a soft smile, surprising Yuto greatly. He shook his head at the scary ability of the elf to read him so well before returning the gesture.

“I hope… you’re right.”

~*~

“This is as far as we can go,” gasped Koki as he cowered under a large bush. He brushed off a large spider from his shoulder, eyes on the forest trail they had just abandoned.

“This area is remote, I don’t think they’ll follow us here,” Yuriko gushed, arms around a frightened Kaede.

“We need to cross the borders, somehow…and warn the King before he comes back,” she added, hushing the whimpering girl next to her.

“We better hurry before Miura’s assassins get to the border gates, that traitor…we will never let him have our King!” Koki hissed.

Yuriko bit her lip, eyes upon the ascending cloud of thick smoke over the castle.

Things were not looking good at all.

_~*~_

_He held himself close, eyes blinking rapidly at the darkness surrounding his being. He liked this place…the realm of never ending solitude. He did not dare to form any more bond as he did not want to bear the pain of losing them. He wondered if Daiki still thought about him, or if Yuto wondered about his whereabouts.  He wondered if it even mattered if they did._

_So his mother did not want him, and the two people who had cared for him had been murdered before his eyes…because of him. Aunt Hana held a strong grudge against him and would revel in his demise, a gang of mercenaries wanted to hunt him down to support the belief that he was a threat to their country and his blood father, whom he’d never met was currently keeping him prisoner._

_He chuckled._

_He should be used to it all by now. There was no need to expect anything from anyone. He was probably never destined to have a decent relationship with another human being._

_He stared at his hands, at the way they had paled so much that his veins showed._

_What was his destiny anyway?_

A servant girl looked up from the vase she was dusting to bow as Queen Amaya walked passed her like she did every morning. It had been a while since this tower had been of any use and now it was taking a dozen of her comrades to plough through the dust gathering in its corners.

She peeked through her bangs though as Lady Amaya pulled the chain around her neck to use the key dangling from it. The identity of the prisoner within the room piqued the young girl’s curiosity greatly. She had never seen the youngest princess of the family – now the lady of the castle, so enthusiastic about anything before these daily visits.

“Good morning Ryosuke,”

The sound of a scream startled the poor girl so much that she went on knocking the vase off its pedestal. Knowing she was done for she didn’t even bother picking up the pieces as she joined the rest of the servants rushing to their Queen’s aid.

They flow of people was frozen by the doorway though and as she managed to squeeze all the way to the front, she felt her knees give way at the sight.

~*~


	26. Reflect

The King Zale lifted his vision from the scenic view below to smile at a dark blot in the twilight sky. As it grew closer, the King could make out its jet black wings as they glistened under the bloody glow of the dying sun. The large hawk-like bird descended towards the terrace upon which the King stood with powerful strokes of its wings and as soon as it landed upon the stone floor it began a mystifying transformation. Amidst the shedding feathers, the form of a young man appeared. The flicker of light from the pendant around his neck died as soon as the transformation was completed.

The King gazed at the figure as it remained down on one knee with his head bowed low.

“You may rise; Ryutaro, the Crystal Knight,”

The boy did as he was told, his face impassive but eyes aglow with excitement.

“This sure is a pleasant surprise; I assume you sensed the change in the crystal’s energy,”

“I did Your Majesty,”

“And how did you manage to leave Leirion unnoticed? As far as I know the elves have keen eyes,”

“They were distracted and I had too much of that country’s scent on me to seem suspicious,”

The King smirked.

“You guardians are a mystery to me, but I’m pleased that you’re here,”

“The sudden surge in the crystal’s power…you’ve found him haven’t you? The Crystal Child,” 

The older man nodded.

“I don’t want to be saying this about my own son, but he’s rather a weakling…now that he’s awakened though...I would need you to help train him to control his energy,”

Ryutaro chuckled, a smug look in place.

“With all due respect My Liege, it is ironic that a person with the crystal’s power running through his veins would need help from a mere user of the said crystal,”

“Ironic but true, it wouldn’t have been this way if the boy had remained under my supervision, the times in the past where he had lost control of his powers and had shown glimpses of his inner-self had successfully driven fear into the minds of the people who knew him, even now…Queen Amaya couldn’t stand the sight of him in his true form and is still unconscious,”

“True form? There really is one? I surely want to see it!”

The King frowned.

“We are holding him in the North Tower but for how long our binds would keep him down I am not sure so come, we must make haste.”

~*~

“Are you alright?”

Daiki blinked twice at the faces swimming above him.

“Water,” he managed to choke out and heard the repeat of the word with much urgency.

“Here,”

He allowed himself to be held up and gulped down as much water as he could without suffocating himself. He sighed heavily as the surroundings became clearer and he could see Yuma and Zach looking at him worriedly.

“I’m okay,” he huffed, pulling himself out of Zach’s grip and wobbling to a sofa before collapsing upon it.

“What happened? You sick?”

Daiki shook his head.

“I don’t know…I just felt dizzy all of a sudden and then…,”

“Well I’m not surprised with the way you have been eating good and sleeping well, this was bound to happen,” Zach spoke, voice laced with sarcasm.

Daiki glared at him. It had been a few days now since he had first arrived in this country and Zach hadn’t let him out of his sight since. He had never liked the older male, but the latter appeared to have taken a strong liking to him, despite his cold attitude.

“Well, I have to head out now but I’ll be back by dinner. Yuma, I’m leaving him under your care,”

“I’m not a kid!” Daiki responded agitated to which Zach gave a mere roll of the eyes before leaving the Inn.

“Don’t you have that bookstore to look after?” he asked the younger boy who was bustling about the fireplace.

“Nope, it’s closed today,” came the reply. Daiki groaned.

“Dad is just really worried about you, you know? I know you’re probably anxious about that mutual brother of yours as much as he is, but you won’t be able to do anything if you don’t take care of your health,”

“What’s left to do? I betrayed him, gave him away, who knows how he’s being treated there?” Daiki replied solemnly.

“Because you were worried about him, about his safety and he’s with his father right? He should be okay,” Yuma replied with an encouraging smile. Daiki watched as the boy walked into the kitchen and returned with a mug of hot chocolate minutes later. Yuma glowered over him as he refused and wouldn’t budge until Daiki took the beverage into his hands and drank a few gulps. Satisfied, Yuma made himself comfortable on a rug by the fireplace and opened up a little book.

Daiki watched the lady at the counter dealing with some customers before his attention fell back onto the lanky kid on the rug.

“If you don’t mind me saying this, you and Zach don’t look alike at all,” he said randomly noticing the stark difference between Yuma’s sharp features and Zach’s rounded but strong ones.

Yuma smiled slightly, snapping his book shut.

“I’m adopted,” he spoke calmly to which Daiki choked in his mug.

“I’m…I’m sorry I was just…making conversation that’s all…didn’t mean to…,”

“Calm down, I don’t mind you’re not the first one who noted our difference,”

“I see,”

“Zach was married once, but his wife passed away a few months after their wedding, he was away on a mission then. I was the son of his best friend, the guy who owned the bookstore we run together now,”

“What happened to your- real family?”

“Same thing that happened to Zach’s wife, they were killed during a protest,”

“A protest?”

Yuma nodded, crawling closer to him.

“The last of its kind in Valian, you know people aren’t really happy with the way our King is handling things, he’s too set on claiming other lands than developing his own. We are a hardworking people, and intent on not falling apart, but there is only so much we can do on our own without our government’s involvement. So years back when I was a mere toddler, my parents, and Zach’s wife; Aunty Selena were very actively involved in anti-government protests. At first, the King paid no attention but as the numbers of the protestors began to grow, I bet he got distracted. That’s when he took out his trump card. There is an underground group that calls themselves _The Sinister Sages_ and people claim that they practice the dark arts. He set them on the protestors. None survived. It was a tragedy that silenced the entire nation,”

Daiki sat there taking in the story as an ever-cheerful Yuma got up from the floor to help carry the bags of a new arrival. Everyone seemed so normal on the surface, but they all had their own matters to deal with. Zach and Yuma had held onto each other upon losing everything else, just like Ryosuke and him.

He used to pity himself and his fate but now it got him thinking. It’s not the life that you’ve been given that’s insufficient, it’s what you make of it that matters because there is always something to make up for what you don’t have, even if it takes time for you to realize it.

He has a family, and if the other would want to keep it that way, then he would go against even the King to take him back. He’d protect his little brother himself and if he’s not capable now…then he’ll become strong enough to do so.

He reached into his bag and pulled out the dagger, unwrapping it and watching the way it glowed softly in response to his touch.

“Just once Ryosuke, call for me…and I’ll come running.”

~*~


	27. Sinister Tidings

His heart felt squeezed within the confines of his chest and the way his ribcage felt like it was tightening around his lungs made every intake of breath sharp…painful.

 Was this a warning? Something was awfully wrong for his senses seemed to be on fire. Every sound was piercing, the breeze felt warm and humid and the air smelled of smoke and blood. He had been trying to hide it since it started 3 days ago, when they had finally left the safety of the elven highway but back then it was subtle. Right now it just felt like his chest was ready to explode.

He held himself, eyes warily scanning the deserted area. It was strange, where were everybody?

The company made their way silently through the village and its empty streets, all the while feeling a sense of foreboding. Had the people been evacuated? There was no threat on this side of the border though…

“Yuto?”

He jumped, yanking the reins with force that made his horse neigh and jerk causing him to topple of the saddle and onto the ground.

“Yuto!”

He gasped as he felt arms around him. Blinking away the tears he frowned as Kouta’s concerned face swam into view. His body ached, but his mind was swaying. He was starting to loose sense of his surroundings.

“Wha…what happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, voice shaking…breaking under the effort of holding back a sudden surge of fear. The sky was dark, too dark and the mist that was settled so heavily around them felt suffocating.

“You fell from your horse…are you alright?”

“Where is…everyone?”

Kouta frowned and looked at Keito for help. The latter shook his head, bewildered.

“I think, maybe because of those threats from Valian…His Majesty your father might have evacuated this village…that’s all, I’m sure if we go further, we’ll come across some civilians maybe even soldiers,”

“No, this is not right,” Yuto argued voice almost hysterical. He tried to break free from Kouta’s grip with such rashness that led Kouta to tighten his grip further.

 He needed to get back home, to his parents…quickly.  Where was Chika? Why wasn’t she answering his call? He pushed and shoved and despite the pain from the fall his movements just became increasingly aggressive.

“Yuto? Yuto get a grip!” Keito exclaimed, grabbing onto his cousin who was lashing aimlessly, eyes hazy with tears and face scrunched up in worry.

“What’s wrong? Is he hurt?” Hikaru asked bewildered. Kouta gave him a helpless look.

“We…need to get back,” Yuto gasped clutching onto Kouta’s collar when all attempts failed. Either the older had gained immense strength or he had lost all of his.

“Calm down Yuto,” Kota spoke more firmly as Yuto started struggling again.

“We’re almost there Your Highness,” Aoi added as calmly as she could. One of Yuto’s flailing arms struck Keito across the face sending him sprawling back in shock.

“YUTO!”

Aoi bit her lip before moving to sit next to a still shocked Keito as the others froze in their places. Yuto had stopped moving and was now staring blankly up at Kouta.

“Calm down, we’re almost there, I’ll get you home now okay?” he spoke firmly but with a reassuring smile. He frowned as Yuto slumped against him.

“Somebody’s coming,” Hikaru spoke suddenly and both he and Yuya turned halfway, hands on their weapons before a blade on each of their necks halted all movements.

Keito exclaimed as he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head and as he slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing he saw was Aoi falling right next to him.

Kouta tightened his grip around the young King, glaring at the group of rogues that had besieged them. 4…8…12…15…there were 15 of them…was this an ambush? Had they been waiting in the shadows all along?

“Did we hit the jackpot boss?” asked the man standing above an unconscious Keito.

“I think this was the mage, she’s the only female of the group,” spoke another, pointing at Aoi.

“Oh Geez Taka, thanks for telling us that we couldn’t have been able to tell otherwise,” spoke the first one, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, just doing my job,” replied Taka rather proudly. His companion stared at him.

“Stop talking both of you,” came a gruff voice and Kouta frowned as he recognized him. He had only seen sketches of that man but he had come across his name so many times in the past few years that it seemed to roll off his tongue pretty naturally.

“Tamamori…Junta?”

The man raised an eyebrow, looking thoroughly pleased.

“Oh? The King’s right hand man knows me? I’m flattered,”

“Of course boss, cause you the man!” Taka exclaimed, fisting the air. His remark was followed by cheers from the rest. Hikaru blinked.

“Who is this idiot?” Yuya asked and Hikaru shivered at the dirty looks the gang threw the older of the two.

“He’s been on the security force’s most wanted list for a decade now, he used to be a petty loan shark but now he’s a mercenary,” Kouta replied. He frowned as he felt the heat from the body in his grip and from the heavy breathing he could tell that Yuto was hardly conscious.

“So I am, and currently my boys and me have been offered a fortune to perform a noble duty for this country,”

“Duty? How is mistreating your King and his men duty?” Kouta roared.

“Don’t get excited, we’re not mistreating _our_ King at all,” was the confusing reply.

“So, who hired you Mister Mercenary?” Hikaru questioned the stern looking man and frowned at the strange twist of his lips and the madness flashing in his eyes.

“Former Royal advisor and current ruler of Akatsuki…Lord Miura.”

~*~

“What’s wrong? If you’re already this frightened at the mere sight of him…how will I leave him to you?”

Ryutaro gulped audibly and shook his head. No, he wasn’t a scared child…right now he was the most powerful person in the castle! He took a deep breath and forced himself to stare right back at those bloody red irises, lodged in ebony black. Those deep eyes were like red moons in the late night’s sky.

The boy’s hands were held up against the wall and pulled apart by chains and every inch of his skin visible, from his arms to his bare torso was so pale that he could see the trace of his veins branching under his skin. His raven black hair were messy locks framing his face and long enough to brush his shoulders. The boy’s lips were a dark shade of red, as if painted by blood.

If he didn’t already seem like an inhuman creature chained to the wall, the presence of the large black wings that he knew would have fully covered his body if not restrained by the many more chains destroyed any room for doubt.

Was he expecting this? The boy still looked human…but at the same time he didn’t…

“Maybe his appearance would improve after he’s learned to contain the crystal’s power…not that it would make much of a difference now, since this was his first impression on you anyway,”

“Are those chains strong enough?” Ryutaro asked calmly, ignoring the man’s amused tone as they watched the figure struggle weakly against his binds.

“I don’t know, haven’t really provoked him enough,” came the answer.

Ryutaro scowled, mentally strangling the man. He could tell the ignorant King was thoroughly enjoying the sight of an arrogant brat shivering and sweating before his assigned task, like it was the last thing he would do but was still foolishly trying to sound like he owned the place.

He sighed, gazing weakly at the being on the wall.

Maybe… it just might be his last.

~*~

 


	28. Chains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amongst the velvety richness of the sky, a storm is brewing, shrouding the growing turmoil below in ever growing darkness. The rushing tides of revolution carry with it the pieces of betrayal, greed and death, snuffing any glimmer of hope in its wake. Two flames have been ignited, hidden from the world but will their light and warmth be enough to protect their crumbling nations? Or will they burn it all to ashes as they pit themselves against each other?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC FOUR: Two of A Kind

He had had better days in which he awoke to a warm bed and gentle sunshine. He used to be a weak child, and was no stranger to the chill of a fever or the lethargy of illness. But he had never once experienced such a slow and frustrating awakening.

 Every bit of his body seemed to be gaining consciousness separately and the pace was almost maddening. His head was clouded and a vein throbbed on the side of his temple. His eyes were heavy, mouth dry, throat parched. Every muscle in his body ached, resisting movement. But then again, the fact that he was chained to a wall; a cold, dirty stone wall might have something to do with his body’s locomotive limitations. He breathed deeply, taking in large gasps of air in order to clear his head. It took him a good 10 minutes (or maybe less he wasn’t too sure) before he realized his position and was conscious enough to stifle a disgusted shriek as a rat scurried by his bare feet and into a hole in the wall.

He blinked in disbelief as he found himself in a dungeon cell, cold and pretty much alone. His robe and travelling gear had been taken away leaving him behind in a soiled white undershirt and pants. He flinched as he tried moving his cuffed hands. He was starting to lose the feeling in his limbs as quickly as he had gained them.

He tried to recall what had happened before he passed out but his recollection was vague. He had had many dreams and it was hard to distinguish the dream from what had actually happened.

“Where am I?” he spoke only to hear a weak croak coming from his own throat. It hurt to even talk forget screaming to get somebody’s attention.

_‘Your Highness?’_

His eyes widened as he turned his head to find a sprite hovering close to his shoulder.

“Who…wait…you’re…Chika’s second in command…Tokio?”

The sprite did a quick nod of the head. Yuto cleared his throat, trying to force his voice out.

“Where is Chika? Do you know where I am?”

The sprite looked down as in silent dismay before flinching as he met his King’s glare.

“Don’t dawdle, speak!”

_‘Lady Chika and the rest are currently sticking close to the Crystal my Lordship, there is no guardian protecting it and so she couldn’t risk leaving it, however she was worried for your safety so she sent me,’_

Yuto frowned.

“No Guardians? What about my mother…and Lady Kaede?”

_‘They…the Queen has passed my King and Lady Kaede has gone missing,’_

Tokio hovered, head hung low as Yuto kept staring at him, unable to take in the information that had been given to him.

“I don’t understand,” he began, voice quivering, an uncertain smile on his face.

“What the hell happened…my mom, she can’t be…,”

_‘There has been mutiny amongst your people my liege; a rebel group has emerged led by the treacherous Miura, your late father’s advisor,”_

Yuto felt lightheaded.

“My father…my father…?”

_‘Miura has a dark mage by his side, a powerful man…the Queen fought him to protect the King but both were overwhelmed by the mage’s prowess in the dark arts…do not worry, we have hidden them so you can give them a proper burial later on…Lady Kaede managed to escape but we can no longer sense her, two of my fellow clansmen have gone in her pursuit though,’_

“I see,”

Tokio stared at the young man as he gazed absent-mindedly at his feet, his face blank and emotionless.

_‘You have our condolence my Liege, but I am here to help you escape from these dungeons and guide you to a place you can hide, Miura is after your blood, he plans to execute you tomorrow before the entire city to prove his power,’_

“So be it,”

Tokio gasped audibly.

_‘You can’t be serious my liege! You’re the key to this Kingdom’s survival!  It will wither and fade with your death!’_

“The people hate me as it is; maybe a new leader is what they need after all,”

_‘But...he will kill your companions as well…and then…the new guardian, the one we all fear, if that person gets a hold of this crystal…the ways its power can be misused is unimaginable,’_

“But you said, if I die…,”

_‘The crystal will no longer sustain the Kingdom the way it does now and you are the vessel through which its most innate powers can be materialized, with you gone it will be a mere stone that glows in the dark. However, we have come to believe that a powerful guardian can wrench power from its core, use it by force and even if the level would not be comparable to yours it would be more powerful than any other weapon currently in existence!’_

Yuto sighed, tasting bile as he attempted to swallow a painful lump in his throat. What could he do? Crystal’s innate powers…how could he use it? Is power enough to salvage the remnants of his heritage?

“I’m disappointed,”

Yuto’s head snapped up at the sound of a third voice but he saw no one but a frowning Tokio.

“No you won’t find me anywhere young King, I am there but at the same time I’m not,”

“Who are you?” he spoke, eyes scanning the surroundings. The sprite was now looking at him with great concern.

“I am merely the light to your dark, the black to your white.

 But at the same time…I am as much as your reflection, as you are mine…,”

“Stop this nonsense I don’t understand what you’re saying!” he seethed not having the energy for riddles.

The voice chuckled. It was a deep melodious sound that echoed off the stone walls. For a moment, his heart leapt at the spark of recognition and he found himself struggling to hold it within his consciousness but groaned in frustration as it slipped through as it was sand. He blamed his exhaustion.

“Fine, I’ll get straight to the point; you look pathetic chained to the wall like that…I expected more from you,”

“How dare you,” Yuto hissed, the chains jingling as he shook his hands. The voice laughed again.

“Forgive my impudence, I do not dare for I am merely your servant…but Your Majesty, I do not wish to see you end this way…you are more so much more…,”

“What do you expect me to do, I can barely move!”

“Since when have you worried so much about expectations, it was always sentiments for you…how you felt and what that made you do…,”

“Shut up,”

“See, now you’re all angry…,”

“I said just shut up!”

“Fine, but come make me,”

“Why…why do you care?”

“Cause the storm is here Yuto, and I promised to go through it…with you,”

Yuto gasped as the cuffs around his wrist snapped open, first the left and then the right before he fell face forwards onto the floor, legs still chained.

He pushed himself up slightly and watched as Tokio struggled to use his own glow to burn through the metal. He caught the exhausted sprite as soon as his legs were free and the creature collapsed.

He stared at the frail thing lying in his palms, breathing heavy, glow dimmed and frowned.

When did Ryosuke get so cheeky?

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dialogues of the third voice is a voice in Yuto's head, Tokio can't hear it. Tokio's words are italicized
> 
> Also... if anyone's uncomfortable with the growing chapter count... I keep my word count per chapter short... that's why there are a lot more chapters then there should be...


	29. The Prince and his Mage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks!

  
_“Why are you sending me away grandfather?”_

_The elder took off his spectacles with a chuckle, eyeing the six year old mage apprentice before him._

_“I’m not merely sending you away Aoi, I’m giving you an important job, a task that was originally mine but you know my bones are protesting already, you are more fit both in strength and power to do it,”_

_“You’re just slacking,”_

_The man laughed heartily. He placed the spectacles in a pretty case and presented it to the little girl._

_“You see the boy over there,”_

_The girl followed the man’s pointing thumb with her eyes and spotted a boy around her age, sitting on a bench on the end of the corridor. He looked completely lost and miserable._

_“Who is he?”_

_“He is someone very important to our king, and your job Aoi, will be to protect him…always,”_   


  
~*~

  
“I can’t just sit here, not like this…not when I know Yuto’s in a dark and cold dungeon alone,”

His attendant sighed deeply, understanding her master’s distress.

“He’s very vulnerable to illness Aoi; we have to get him out of here,”

The girl nodded silently, squirming under the physical binds around her body and struggling against the unseen chains holding her down. Their captors had known about her being a mage and had been well prepared to handle her. This alone made her feel anxious for her master’s safety. She flicked her eyes around the library, once lit up by sunlight now it lay in darkness. The windows were barred forming the complete cage. Her eyes than traveled to the figure slumped upon the rug in the center of the room. His hands were tied and a black cloth of silk was wrapped around his eyes.

“Aoi…can you not do anything?” he asked, a little timidly. Aoi bit her lip.

“I cannot see the seals placed upon me. If I did I would be able to undo them…,”

“Seals?”

“Yes,”

Keito sighed.

“They took my glasses and I'm a little…weak in visualizing hidden arts because I’ve always been so dependent on them you see,”

“The ones your grandfather gave you, with the special lenses?”

“Grandfather was the head mage in the King’s council, he was awarded those glasses for his loyalty and excellence of service…I was always told that they were made of a very special crystal,”

“I see, so you probably don’t have a spare…do you?”

“They were…one of a kind,”

“Of course,”

Aoi fidgeted some more in the following silence, straining her eyes, hoping for them to adapt to the enchantment and show her the secret structure of said spell.

“I'm sorry; I guess I'm too dependent on you,”

Fighting the heat rising on her face, she squeaked a small _‘I don’t mind’_.

“Did you say something?”

“I’ll think of something My Lord,” she said quickly.

“No don’t strain yourself, just tell me one thing,”

“Yes?”

“There has to be a mage that created this…web of seals that’s confining you right?”

“Yes, I managed to get a glimpse of him,”

“Do you think he knows about your glasses?”

“They didn't blindfold me, so I'm guessing they think it’s for my regular sight,”

“ Shouldn't a mage be able to tell?”

“The secret behind those glasses isn't magic, nobody but my grandfather and I can tell it’s not the usual kind,”

“So, if I can find them?”

Aoi frowned at the suggestion but blinked back her surprise as Keito stumbled to his feet, the binds around his hands coming undone.

“How…. did you? The binds were tight!” she cried out in surprise.

“It’s kind of insulting actually,” he said pulling off the blindfold. “They didn't even tie my feet!”

“You’re complaining about that?”

Keito chuckled.

“Of course not but years of bullying, being cramped up in lockers and tied up in store rooms…I’m seriously through with the whole waiting to be found and set free,”

Aoi blinked back her surprise but exclaimed as he started approaching her.

“Don’t come any closer!”

He stopped dead in his tracks, taken aback.

“Confining spells usually have a side trigger; you’ll get hurt badly if you step on the seal!”

Keito frowned.

“I can’t leave you here,”

“I’ll be fine,”

He thought for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll be as quick as I can,” he replied reassuringly. She wanted to argue but her master was already halfway across the room.

“Alright but please be careful,” she said rather weakly.

The girl was left to watch with great anxiety as her master carefully unlocked the door, peeked outside and then slipped out.

  
~*~

  
Keito had spent a great deal of his childhood in Akatsuki’s royal palace. It was his second home, a place he would frequent during summer holidays and winter breaks. He and Aoi used to parade through all accessible hallways, looking for places to hide when playing hide and seek with Yuto or simply exploring the massive maze of many floors to spend their long, hot afternoons when the prince used to go mysteriously missing.

The castle had been, in its previous days of grandeur a sight to behold. Its stone facade stood facing lush green gardens and bursting fountains. The towers and turrets seemed to touch the mysterious sky, the windows reflecting the gold of the sun as it rose and fell. The hallways were all lined with carpets of deep red and well lit by lofty arched windows at day and crystalline chandeliers at night.

He had always been amazed by the palace and at the privilege of being allowed to so freely roam it. The king was his uncle, which made him Yuto’s first cousin and unbeknownst to Yuto, the second in line to the throne. Yuto never knew for it wasn't important. The prince was told that he was the only heir and it was true now in a sense. Keito was never a threat to the current royals due to his apparent disinterest in politics and extreme loyalty to his family.

As Keito grew older, he had begun to understand the significance of family politics in his survival. His own father had been poisoned while he was a mere lad of five, nobody knows by whom or why for the man was, like himself completely uninterested in politics despite being the older brother and the original heir to the throne.

The king had grieved for his brother but feared for his nephew as the boy could be used against him in so many ways. Keito was kept close to the immediate monarch because he was the only thing standing between random claims to the throne and Yuto. So when Keito had turned 18 (he was the older of the two cousins by a few weeks), he was secretly called before the King, Queen and the council where he had been persuaded with great ease to pledge his loyalty to Yuto and to completely denounce his claims to the throne.

He was quite happy to do so. It made him feel as if he had repaid all his debts to the family that had taken care of him, protected him and his home. He always felt that with his personality, he was destined to be by Yuto’s side as his friend and companion and not in command of anything besides his own life.

He walked in silence, stunned at the loneliness of the hallways. The setting sun provided him enough shadows to move around in stealth; a skill he had picked up back at the academy while trying to outsmart his bullies.

“Where are the guards?” he wondered to himself but froze in his steps as he heard a groan from around the corner. Carefully he peeked and felt his jaw drop in shock. This side of the hallway was almost littered with Miura’s men, almost 10 of them. Worst was the state they were in. Some had their arms twisted or legs sticking at odd angles but all were unconscious… or so it appeared to him. Most lay on their faces but one who was slightly close to where Keito stood petrified had the most disturbing expression on his face. His eyes were wide open and jaw was slack as if he had fallen by fear alone. Trembling Keito moved closer to the man, trying to drown the building nausea. He bent down and checked his pulse. His eyes widened as he felt none.

Calming himself he praised his luck as he spotted a bulge in the man’s shirt’s side pocket. Putting his hand in, he sighed in relief as he pulled out Aoi’s glasses. The frame was slightly distorted but the lenses were fine.

He heard something scurry from above and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand. Fearfully, he looked up. He felt his body jolt at the shock of something white and gangly on the ceiling, moving really fast and disappearing into a side corridor. He clasped his hands around his mouth to block the muffled scream.

“What…what was that?”

 

~*~


	30. Chaotic

The darkness was incomplete, stained by the pale gleam of the waning moon. The wind carried silence, a sense of peace and tranquility as it moved clumps of cottony clouds with it, as if teasing eyes that yearned for the sight of the moon. The stars twinkled with such innocence that it was almost criminal, witnessing the lone figure atop a tower’s turret, perched with his mighty wings like a gargoyle in the night.

The city was a lit  a gold tinted reflection of the starry heavens. He reached out a pale hand, black-nailed fingers spreading as if reaching for something too far from reach. The lights of the city sparkled a bit, as if responding to his touch.

His eyes widened, pupils becoming slits as he caught site of a conflagration coming to life. It wasn’t within the city, but somewhere farther east.

“You should come back in before you catch a cold,”

He frowned at the mock concern and scowled as he felt a harsh tug on the chain cuffed around his wrist. Emitting a low growl he glared at the lanky boy on the terrace below.

“Don’t look at me like that, **_your father_** the Steward of Valian will be returning home from his trip to the Eastern Mines and **_I_** need to put you back in your room before somebody sees you or he’ll have my head,”

Ryutaro shook his head with a sigh as he was given a rather menacing glare. His pendant emitted a golden luminescence and it took a second for the winged being on the turret to fall ungracefully before him.

_‘I hate you,’_

“Well, I’m the only one that can hear your thoughts at the moment…since the little **_baby_** can’t talk yet…so you better behave or you’ll never learn how to,” he scoffed in reply. Removing his gaze from the murderous eyes he spotted the golden glow in the distance and frowned.

“I have a bad feeling about this,”

~*~

  
Daiki awoke suddenly to a loud sound, a rush of fear filling him. He looked around the small room, trying to figure out where he was. The bed he was on was against the wall with the only window in the room. There was a wooden cupboard on his right and a tall mirror by the door. He leaned against the bedpost, suddenly realizing where he was.

 There was noise beyond the window. He clambered to the edge of his bed, hands on either side of it and peered through the glass. The streets were thronged with people rushing to and fro. The shops were closing, people were yelling, children were crying. It seemed like chaos.

He turned around as he heard the door open and close to find Yuma looking quite freaked out.

“They’ve done it,” he spoke, voice low and hoarse.

“Who’s done what?” Daiki asked bemused. Yuma staggered over to his bed and fell to his knees by its edge.

“Yuma?”

Yuma had his face buried in the mattress for a couple of seconds before he raised his head, bewildered eyes locking with confused ones.

“The rebel group…they killed him…,”

“Huh?”

“The Steward Daiki!” Yuma exclaimed grabbing the older boy by the shoulders and shaking him.

“Yuma…what are you…?”

“The King of Valian is dead,”

Daiki stared at the ashen faced boy, a chill running down his spine.

“Wha…how?”

“Panic has spread, people are afraid of what will happen…the man’s supporters will lash out against the public…everybody’s hiding…leaving the city!”

“How did he die Yuma?”

“The rebel group, attacked his carriage…some of the royal soldiers were in cahoots with them…it’s going to be war, the civilians will be crushed between King Zale’s supporters and the rebels!”

“Soldiers…assassins among the royal soldiers…” Daiki chanted, a great feeling of dread falling upon him.

“Ryosuke!”

“Where are you going?” Yuma exclaimed as the older boy had bolted to the door.

“I need to get Ryosuke out of there…where is Zach?”

Yuma shook his head.

“I don’t know,”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know okay!”

Daiki took a minute to calm himself for they had started yelling at each other, a reflection of the panic below. The noise from the streets was a blur of sounds; voices, wagon wheels, hooves on stone.

“He told me..,” Yuma began uncertainly. Daiki gave him an encouraging nod.

“He told me he will no longer associate with them…this group of mercenaries have been after Zale’s life ever since he became ruler, said they used to be soldiers under him but something happened that turned them against each other. Zach infiltrated them and gained their trust by breaking off his connection with King Zale, I don’t know why but that’s all he told me…after that protest…these men had become hell bent on destroying Zale but were never successful, and then there were the mysterious Sinister Sages as well…Zach backed off after Aunt Selena’s death or so he told me…but I never found where he went on ‘missions’ and who gave them to him. I always thought he was working for some guild…,”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“Yesterday, morning…haven’t heard from him since,”

Daiki moved back just in time as the door swung open. The lady from the counter downstairs was out of breath as she glared at Yuma.

“Come on boy! Our wagon is about to leave!”

Daiki slung his bag over his shoulder and reached for the door.

“I’m coming with you,” Yuma started.

“No you’re not,”

“Yes I am, Ayu-san, you should leave now and if by any chance you come across my father, please tell him I’m with Daiki,”

“You can’t be serious boy, we…,”

She shrieked as an explosion sounded in the distance.

“They’ve brought out the guns!”

Yuma and Daiki exchanged worried looks as the woman bolted, yelling at the top of her lungs.

“How are we gonna get all the way across the city…in this chaos?” Yuma asked weakly. Daiki swallowed, staring out the window. The world outside seemed dyed in red.

How indeed…


	31. Heartfelt

Aoi had been staring at the floor, mind working up a dozen scenarios that her master could be facing at that moment.  She wanted to move, her muscles were aching from being in one position for so long, and she swore her legs were swollen under her. Wiggling her toes felt like needles piercing her skin. She heaved a sigh. The sound of an opening door made her lift her head and she held back a gasp as Keito entered the room. He looked pale and shaken as he closed the door behind him.  
  
“I found your glasses,” he informed her quietly. She nodded, eyeing him with concern.  
  
“Are you alright?” she asked carefully. He looked as if he would collapse any moment now. He stared at the floor before shaking his head.  
  
“The sooner we leave, the better,” he urged placing rapid steps in her direction.  
  
“STOP! Remember the seals!”  
  
Keito staggered as if coming out of a stupor. Now Aoi was freaking out.  
  
“How…will I get these on you?” he asked baffled.  
  
Aoi thought quickly but nothing came to mind. The duo flinched in horror as the glasses were wrenched out of Keito’s grasp by some unseen force. They watched it hover towards the bound girl causing only a sudden tenseness in the air around the mage as they entered the vicinity of her invisible prison. She blinked as they were placed over the bridge of her nose and through the lenses she saw a small winged creature.  
  
“Aoi?”  
  
“It’s a sprite my Lord!” she exclaimed out of excitement. She stared fascinated at the translucent wings and beady black eyes. The little creature winked at her rather playfully.  
  
“A what?”  
  
The thrill of finally being able to make out the extensive glowing symbols etched around her caused her to unconsciously ignore her master for a bit as she set on unraveling the magical binds spell by spell.  
  
Keito watched her patiently for what seemed like almost 15 minutes, throwing nervous glances at the door he had locked earlier from time to time. It was then that the girl exhaled rather loudly before falling face forwards onto the floor. She wiggled a bit, and that’s when Keito realized she was still clad in chains. He rushed towards her as the girl heated the iron cuffs and broke them apart for her.  
  
He tried not to laugh at the way her glasses sat askew on her nose and the way her magnified eyes were blinking in excitement but it ended up being impossible to hold back.  
  
“What?” she asked, looking a little…offended? She ran a hand through her messy shoulder length hair before ruffling them further.  
  
“Urgh I don’t care how I look I’m too tired!”  
  
Keito smiled fondly.  
  
“I’m glad you’re around,”  
  
She watched him get to his feet, a little taken aback. He reached down and hoisted her to hers, holding onto her as she swayed. Her legs were still numb.  
  
“So, sprite you said?”  
  
“Huh?” she blinked, flabbergasted. Keito blinked back.  
  
“You said you saw a _sprite_?”  
  
Blushing furiously at the proximity, the girl did her hardest to gather her wits.  
  
“Ya…I mean yes…it's right here!” she pointed to where the creature was floating and scowled as it was making weird kissing poses.  
  
“You sound like you’ve seen them before,” Keito asked confused at her change in expressions.  
  
The sprite suddenly got serious and pointed towards the door. Aoi nodded in understanding.  
  
“Let’s get out of here first, I’ll explain on the way.”

  
~*~

  
“I knew it…what the hell am I supposed to do now?”  
  
Ryutaro groaned as he leaned against the door of the young prince’s room. The room was dark, a preference of the owner of the chamber. The only light that streamed in was of the moon, sneaking in from the large window behind the bed. The covers were drawn and from the moon’s illumination, he could make out the silhouette of large wings within the four poster bed.  
  
Ryosuke liked doing that; curling up on the soft mattress, under the moonlight wrapped in his own wings.  
  
Ryutaro wondered if he felt comforted, protected maybe…  
  
He had once thought that the only thing he could feel for his master, (for a Crystal Knight was to serve and protect the Crystal Child till his death), was fear and contempt. He was a proud person, the chosen one and to serve another was…humiliating. He had once assumed that he would just be guarding the Kingdom’s crystal but when he was told it was another human being…  
  
Ryosuke’s eyes were frightening. Pitch black with a blood red iris and a slit-like pupil. _A red moon in a night sky…_  
  
Those eyes…he had seen them cry. He had seen fear on that face…he had seen him hold himself in despair.  
  
He sighed.  
  
People have feelings, a conscience, a beating heart…there is no jewel that can be as priceless.  
  
Ryosuke had that…a beating heart.  
  
 He shuffled over to the fountain in the center of the room, sighing as the soft spray of water hit his face.  
  
“I’ve done what I could, the only door that opens into this tower from the main castle has been bolted, all the servants are in the lower chambers together with the Queen and the guards have been ordered to patrol the perimeters,”  
  
“No one is to come in, or go out…even if someone does sneak in…don’t worry, I’m right here,”  
  
He stretched widely wondering if the prince was even awake. He hoped not, he sounded a little sappy just not.  
  
“Ryutaro?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
His head shot towards the direction of the bed. The curtain was pushed aside only slightly by a pale hand revealing a pair of eyes from under black wings.  
  
“Did you just talk?” Ryutaro gasped.  Ryosuke lifted his head slightly and pulled his lips into a shy smile.  
  
“Yup!”  
  
Ryutaro blinked in disbelief.  
  
“I have an idea…I think I will be able to do it,”  
  
“Do…do what?” the younger shot back baffled. Ryosuke smiled wider and for some weird reason, Ryutaro was left embarrassingly dazzled.


	32. The Flaming Crystal

Daiki held his breath, back pressed uncomfortably against the hard wall. The narrow alley was dark and the thick smell of smoke in the air was making it hard to not cough. He couldn’t make a sound though; a small group of men were gathered in the street beyond.  
  
“Can you tell who they are?” he asked the boy next to him quietly. Yuma leaned over him to sneak a peek around the corner, making the older boy wary of the hard black object in his hand.  
  
“Could you please put your gun down, one ‘accidental’ squeeze of the trigger and you’ll blow my nose right off my face,” he whispered furiously.  Yuma pulled away and looked at him with a little smirk.  
  
“It’ll do more damage than that actually,”  
  
Daiki gave him a ‘don’t mess with me look’ before stiffening. He could hear the men shouting.  
  
“There are two guards blocking this group’s way to the castle. They are probably arguing about that,”  
  
“Who are these men?”  
  
“Scavengers, their probably taking advantage of the chaos to make more chaos, news travels fast…at least the rumors do and people know about some of the royal soldiers being involved with the rebels, they’re probably just trying to get into the castle treasury,”  
  
“How the hell did you make all that out?” Daiki asked in wonder. Yuma gave him a sideways glance.  
  
“I can hear them…talking…can’t you?”  
  
“Just a lot of shouting, I can’t make out the words!”  
  
Yuma shrugged.  
  
“My ears must be pretty sharp,”  
  
“That is an understatement,”  
  
“Shhh,”  
  
Daiki held his breath as Yuma held the gun in both his hands. His eyes traveled to the lamp post by his side. He watched the glowing flame only to realize it was burning not wood or oil, but what seemed like glowing chips of amber. The stones were shiny and not ashy and the red hue they emitted was subtle yet it sustained a roaring fire. There was also no smoke. Strange for burning coal.  
  
“Is that…charcoal in those lamps?”  
  
“What? No! They’re Firestones…expensive things…only found in the lamps flanking the main street of Audacia all the way up to the castle gates…the Steward was known to have private mines of them in the east…he had the luxury of using them for whatever he pleased…I bet his own sleeping chamber was lit up by them,”  
  
Daiki sighed. Something…felt odd.  
  
“Why won’t they just move already?” Yuma hissed, annoyed. The shouting had gotten louder.  
  
“Shoot, I think one of the guards is armed with a gun, this could end badly,” he added anxiously.  
  
Yuma jumped as the glass casing of the lamp nearest to them shattered, the flame growing in intensity. The angry shouting had died immediately and instead was replaced by cries of alarm as all the lamps in the vicinity began to roar out of control.  
  
“What is going on?” Yuma exclaimed as Daiki’s coat pocket began to glow.  
  
“They are not stones, they’re crystals,” the older boy explained calmly as the crowd dispersed. He peeked around the corner and watched with satisfaction as the men scattered into smaller alleys and the guards made a bolt for the castle gates. One of the men dashed into their hiding spot, too freaked out to care about them. He did throw them a glance and a warning before disappearing around the corner.  
  
“Run away! It’s the Sinister Sages!”  
  
“Daiki we have to go!” Yuma urged, face pale with fright. Daiki reached into his pocket, the dancing flame overhead throwing eerie shadows upon the ground, and pulled out the glowing blade. He ran a finger over the crystalline hilt and watched the radiance die.  
  
Yuma began to inch away from him.  
  
“Who…who are you exactly?”  
  
Just then, a strange tremor tore through the ground. Daiki dashed out onto the main street, eyes fixed on the castle upon the hill straight on from where he stood.  He could feel it, the force was massive…the energy far more than his own body could sustain.  
  
“Ryosuke…Ryosuke what are you doing?”  
  
The tremors intensified and a low growl had suddenly become thunderous. He fell onto his back from the shaking but his eyes were locked in horror at the site before him. At first, it felt like an illusion but now he could see it clearly. The hill was growing, moving upwards, its base aflame with a strange light. The same reddish-gold hue was blasting through every window of the building. Spikes of black crystal like stalagmites in a cave shot up from the ground, nestling the structure before becoming alit like frozen flames.  
  
The lights within the castle dimmed as the tremors stopped. At the sound of thud he realized Yuma was now behind him and had dropped his gun. The boy was also hyperventilating. His own heart was beating wildly and he felt extremely drained.  
  
“We should keep moving,” he began, staggering to his feet. His eyes trailed onwards to where the main street ended at a now broken iron gate. The road beyond was a pile of rubble. The hill itself was too steep. In other words, their only way into the castle was now gone. He sighed miserably before groaning aloud.  
  
“Ryosuke!”


	33. Metamorphosis

The girl sighed, she could do nothing better at the moment. She reached for the chain around her neck and very carefully peeked at the ring hanging on it. She ran a finger over the dull stone, watching as it responded slightly to her touch. Relieved she hid it well below her garments before securing the cloak around her. A gasp and a fit of coughing following right after startled her and she was by the man curled up on the haystack in a moment.

“Koki-san, here,”

The man received the mug of soothing tea but made a bitter face after the first two eager gulps.

“What’s in it?” he croaked.

“Medicine that Yuu made this morning, she said it will help soothe your chest and clear your lungs,”

The man scowled as his attempt to sit up was halted by a dizzy spell.

“Stay down Koki-san!” the girl chided anxiously.

“I’m sorry my Lady, I was supposed to keep you both safe, I don’t know what happened…,”

“It’s after you drank water from that well, at least that’s what Yuu says, we’ve been using the stock we collected from the running streams on our way here for now,”

“But we will run out, we need to move from here, get back to the guild,”

“It’s not going to be that easy,”

Kaede smiled as her best friend walked into the barn, the sleeves of her dress pulled up, hair tied up in a neat bun.  The pallor of her face and the paleness of her lips though made her frown.

“I’ve heard from a passerby, things are looking bad in Tsukino,”

“What do you mean? Worse than what made us flee in the first place?” Koki asked incredulously.  As he launched into a coughing fit, Yuu sighed and walked to where they had built a small fire, adding a fresh set of dry twigs into it.

“An epidemic has struck Akatsuki’s capital city, people are falling sick fast and no medic has been able to cure a single person,”

“Do I…have the same thing?” Koki croaked as Kaede patted his sweaty brow dry. Yuu looked grim.

“There is something in the water…some kind of poison maybe. It tastes bitter, but I can’t tell what it is by the taste alone,”

“You drank it!” Kaede gasped horrified. The young medic sat upon the dusty ground, staring into the fire.

“Two people have died from the sickness already, it’s been two weeks since the takeover by Miura, the castle’s become an inaccessible fortress and if the cold and hunger wasn’t enough, now a plague is killing the people of Tsukino,”

“Who could have poisoned the water?” Kaede mused.

“Miura did,”

Koki looked at the young woman, anger evident on her face.

“It makes sense doesn’t it?” she said roughly. Kaede gasped.

“People are too worried about the plague to say anything against the takeover,” she said.

Yuu nodded.

 “I could not find out what reason he gave for the deaths of the King and Queen, but I bet he poisoned the water and has the antidote, he’s probably hoping to garner support by miraculously clearing the plague,”

“We need to tell people…but we have no evidence,” said Kaede distraught.

“The prince, I wonder if he’s alright…,” she continued anxiously.

“I doubt it, I doubt he would let the heir to the throne he’s after remain alive,” Koki said grimly.

“Or the people with him for that matter…,” Yuu added sadly.

_‘Yuya-ni.’_

“We need to get to Tsukino,” Koki spoke breathlessly as he pushed himself off the hay.

“It’s a day’s walk Koki-san,” Yuu replied.

“I know…but we need to get to the guild, we need to rally the boys and spread the news of Miura’s treachery and also warn everyone about the water,”

“I guess, with my equipment back at the guild, I might be able to tell what kind of poison it is and perhaps come up with the antidote,” Yuu added.

“Kaede…?”

The girl had gone rigid, eyes wide as if she were in a trance. She felt as if her body had been bound and a curtain fell over her eyes. Various visions passed by her line of sight. She saw the castle hallways, littered with bodies. She saw the crystal, glowing with luminance and then the city streets where the lamps had completely been snuffed out.

She then heard a voice; it was so close almost as if someone was whispering in her ear.

_“Kaede…come quickly…,”_

She felt her lips move and heard her own voice.

“Yes, my King.”

 

~*~

  
The young prisoner glared at the servant as the frightened boy slid in the usual tray. He scurried away immediately afterwards.

“Quit scaring the kid Yuya, he’s just doing his job,”

Yuya grumbled in reply as he watched Hikaru pull the tray towards the spot where they sat.

“How long do you think they plan to keep us here?” Yuya asked as Hikaru broke off the loaf of bread into two and handed him one-half.

“I’m surprised they haven’t killed us yet, I mean they’re feeding us,”

“If you call half a loaf of bread and a morsel of cheese a day feeding…,”

“Oh quit whining, we’re lucky enough to be getting anything,”

“But I’m so weak I can’t even lift my arms!” Yuya responded stuffing everything in his mouth in one go. Hikaru watched amused as his friend struggled to chew and swallow.

“I’m dehydrated too! Look at how my skin is all weird! They give us like one cup each!”

Hikaru yawned as Yuya drained his mug in one go.

“It’s no use complaining, they’ve got magic on these bars and I’ve been electrocuted enough to attempt another escape,” he added lazily.

“We can’t just wait for somebody to come rescue us!”

“Got any other bright ideas genius? One that does not require me doing all the work and getting fried from spells as you watch and direct?”

 Yuya made a face. Hikaru chuckled.

“I expected as much.”

~*~

  
“How long are we going to stay up here? I’ve lost track of time and day,”

The young noble sighed deeply before casting an expectant look at the young woman on the grand desk by the tall bookshelves, nose in a thick book.  
He looked around the circular chamber, at the shelves lining the walls, the large barricaded arched window and the high ceiling, trying to recall how long ago it was when Aoi and himself had locked themselves up in the castle’s tallest tower upon instructions of the ‘sprite’ Aoi could see.

“We can’t even tell what’s happening in the castle, let alone the city Aoi,”

The girl looked up at him through her spectacles.

“I understand your frustration my Lord but Tokio specifically told me that this was the order of King Yuto,”

“What is that boy doing?” Keito mused.

“Well at least, he’s fine enough to be plotting something,” he added lightly on which Aoi gave him a reassuring smile.

“I wonder if he…looks any different,”

Aoi looked at him surprised.

“Why do you say that?”

Keito rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, staring at the floor.

“It’s not every day you get to see your cousin walking on the ceiling now is it,”

Aoi paled as Keito chuckled nervously.

“I mean, I was too freaked out back then but…now that I think about it…I mean I had a feeling it was him…it’s just…ridiculous you know?”

Aoi nodded quietly. There was a poignant pause before Aoi shuffled over to a large couch, looking a little ill.

“May I, take a nap?” she asked weakly. He gave her a short nod, feeling like maybe he should’ve kept that suspicion to himself.

  
~*~

  
The massive chamber was littered with pure white feathers, glowing under the blue hue of the crystalline rock. The little creatures swarmed around the crystal, as if feeding off its light. Chika hovered over the expanse of great white wings that spread upon the floor, the bulk draped over a lump in the center, almost like a cocoon.

_‘My King?’_

The wings lifted slightly revealing frosty white skin with prominent blue veins on long arms, wrapped around bent knees. The creature lifted his face, the white strands of his hair glinting in the light. Pupils that were once an innocent dark brown were now the same colour as the crystal’s hue, a dangerous blue upon a sea of white but they were hazy and disoriented. He parted his pale lips and frowned as no sound came out.

Chika flew closer and held him in a reassuring gaze.

_‘Just a little longer my King, just a little longer.’_   


 

~*~


	34. The Elder Sages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks!

_“I’m bored,”_   
  
_“You’re always bored,”_   
  
_“But I’m really bored this time,”_   
  
_“What am I supposed to do about it?”_   
  
_“You’re so mean Ryo-chan,”_   
  
_The smaller boy sighed and stared…no wait glared up at the skinny figure pouting (yes literally POUTING with his lips puckered up ridiculously) at him from across the room._   
  
_“I have work to do in the kitchen, and Daiki’s going to go crazy when he finds me missing again,”_   
  
_“He still doesn’t know that I get my people to secretly kidnap you and bring you to my study now does he?”_   
  
_“No…he thinks I go missing on purpose, he wouldn’t believe anything else,”_   
  
_Yuto stretched his hands and smiled smugly._   
  
_“Good for me,”_   
  
_“Yeah, cause you don’t have to handle him sulking around for the rest of the day shooting you accusing glares that make you feel like you’ve betrayed him or something,”_   
  
_Yuto chuckled._   
  
_“He’s so cute I wish he was my brother!”_   
  
_Ryosuke sighed and placed down the book he had been trying to read as Yuto did his homework on a side table before getting to his feet._   
  
_“Say Ryo-chan, where did you learn to read?”_   
  
_“My parents taught me,”_   
  
_“You didn’t go to school?”_   
  
_“No,”_   
  
_“Why not?”_   
  
_Ryosuke sighed. Another indirect question about a past he was uncomfortable with sharing. Yuto didn't seem like he would be giving up soon. Ryosuke took a deep breath._   
  
_“Because there were rumors that I was somehow associated with demons and all the children in my village were scared of me,”_   
  
_Ryosuke grabbed the book again and slid upon a sofa, opening it and placing it over his face to shield it from the sunlight streaming in through the window. Yuto was looking at him weirdly and he wanted to avoid that as well. He tried to hold back the bitter taste in his throat at the following silence before he heard Yuto sigh._   
  
_“You clearly look like a squishable, cheeky little bunny rabbit and that I suppose would probably be most insulting for the demon folk,”_   
  
_Ryosuke snatched the book off his face and scowled at the rather silly grin on the prince’s face._   
  
_“What kind of King makes fun of his subjects?” he snapped clearly irked cleverly masking his inner-relief._   
  
_“Why? Do you think you would make a better king, someone who’s more… well-loved then me?” Yuto replied, a challenging twinkle in his eyes. Ryosuke narrowed his._   
  
_“I won’t need to be well-loved to be a great leader, I could still rule even if I’m feared,”_   
  
_“I’d like to see that, I really would…you’d make a great rival I’d reckon,”_   
  
_“I believe I would,” was the heated reply._

 

~*~

  
The world was filled with the extraordinary that was for sure.

He couldn’t tell for certain what had befallen his precious cousin, was it an illness? Or maybe some spell cast upon him by an evil mage. What of these sprites Aoi had told him about? They seemed to exist solely to carry out Yuto’s orders. The sprite that had led them to this room, the topmost chamber of the tallest tower, had just told them to stay put. The room had been locked but devoid of enchantments. The entrance to the stairway that led up this tower had been hidden by one though and thanks to that sprite, they were able to break through.  
  
The room was circular and tall with a cone shaped roof. The wooden beams sported a large chandelier with fluorescent crystals that were the only source of light in the room. His eyes ran over the long sofa on which his attendant lay snoozing, tucked under his cloak. He realized that the furniture seemed of a fashion no longer practiced by the people of Akatsuki, with its rough and chunky carvings and deduced that the room might be as old as the castle itself.

He strode over to the desk and stared at the book Aoi had been reading earlier, frowning as he realized that the time beaten pages were completely blank. He turned the leaves carefully to discover the whole book was just plain parchments bound together in leather. He stood pondering for a while, tempted to wake Aoi up but then his eyes fell upon her glasses that she had left by the book. Thinking it was worth a try, he picked the object up with trembling hands, tsk-ing as he almost dropped them before fixing them upon the bridge of his nose.  He felt his jaw fall slack as through the lenses, he saw that the plain pages were filled with a flourishing script written with a sapphire blue ink.     
  
Turning to the first page he noted that every new entry was headed with a date and the oldest entry dates back to the founding of Akatsuki, he turned to the page Aoi was reading which was near the end of the book and was the most recent entry. The name of the writer and the date showed that it was written by Aoi’s grandfather almost 18 years ago.  
  
He seated himself on the desk and pushing the glasses further up his nose he began to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 **Entry #**  
  
The rumors about the birth of a child that elicited a reaction from both the crystals were confirmed by our brothers abroad. The child though was left to his own fate as interfering with his life seems too sensitive an issue. For we are but students of the mysteries surrounding the mystic, and interference seems a thing out of our capabilities. We have stayed close to both royal families, for these bloodlines have shown to be irrevocably tied to the crystals from the very beginning.   
  
My own personals views are on the royal family of Akatsuki. Their will to keep ‘guardians’ close through marriage though intended to keep the crystal under control may just be their undoing. A line of young women have reigned as queens due to their sensitivity towards the crystal but this child, a male guardian, due to having blood of both Kingdoms of the Crystals is the first to react to both. I have met him, with the privilege of being the only one to know about his dormant abilities and was surprised to see just how ordinary the boy is. 

A few days ago, the current royal family was blessed with a prince. Being the King’s personal mage I was with His Majesty as he held his child for the first time. Having my lenses on, I was shocked to see winged creatures hovering protectively around the boy. Remembering the previous entries by my predecessors about how they believed that if the crystal had a mind of its own; it will become impossible to control, I was filled with both wonder and dread. It struck me as odd that the creatures that protected the crystal would be showing so much affection for this boy. Realization dawned upon me and I hypothesized that this child might be the Crystal Child of legend.

This legend came in the form of relics that was believed to have belonged to an older Kingdom that existed before Akatsuki, but like it was built around the crystal. The only remnant of that Kingdom is the chamber where the crystal is housed. So this Legend spoke of a chosen human that would be mysteriously bound and linked to the crystal as if he/she were part of the crystal. The extent of their power or influence over the crystal’s dormant abilities were either never recorded or destroyed when the older Kingdom was brought to an end.  
  
The Elder Sages have made it their mission--------  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keito frowned as he noticed the next page was actually blank.  
  
“Someone has taken the next few entries,”  
  
He jumped suddenly, earning a quick apology from the recently awakened Aoi. He took off the glasses as she approached him.  
  
“These entries were written by my grandfather, he was a member of an underground society known as the Elder Sages and they were studying that,”  
  
Keito followed the finger she was pointing up to see the sparkling chandelier.  
  
“So, the stones in the lamps…are actually crystals…and Yuto is the crystal child?”  
  
Aoi nodded.  
  
“What about this other boy? The one he mentioned before Yuto?”  
  
Aoi shook her head.  
  
“I’m afraid his writings don’t really satisfy my own curiosity either,”  
  
“So…what do we do now?” Keito asked her. He realized that she looked quite tired.  
  
“I don’t know what our role is in all of this or what the Elder Sages want with the King Yuto…my priority is your safety…and your orders will be my absolute,” she replied firmly.  
  
Keito sighed.

~*~

  
“Really Kouta, do we have to do this every single day? You know I don’t want to hurt you,”  
  
The young man kept his gaze upon the scarlet carpet, refusing to speak. Miura sighed.  
  
“The young King must not remain on the throne and you know that as well as I do! Have you forgotten our original mission? We did not assign you to stick close to the prince just to get this attached to him,”  
  
“Why did you kill the King and Queen, was that part of the plan too?” the young scholar shot back, holding Miura in a deadly gaze. The man shook his head, sitting down upon the steps that lead to the throne with a groan.  
  
“We just wanted them to stand down and show no resistance,”  
  
“How did you expect them to show _no resistance_? You wanted to kill their son!”  
  
“For the good of the country-”  
  
“You’re just after the crystal’s power I know that! The Monarch and this country mean nothing to you!”  
  
“Have you forgotten why the Elder Sages were established in the first place Kouta? It was to avoid this from happening!”  
  
“Yes, based on just petty predictions! You can’t end an entire bloodline based on hypothesis!”  
  
He knew he had gone too far when the calm and usually composed Miura grabbed him by the shoulders and nearly shook the life out of him.   
  
“Our forefathers knew things we don’t Kouta! Our best option is to end this abnormal power hold,”  
  
The young man slumped upon the floor as Miura walked away fuming. Miura’s mage and right hand Joel walked up to the young scholar instead.  
  
“Miura has read the old records of the previous Sages; there is weight in his decisions Kouta, this Monarch monopolized the throne, intending to have power to themselves in any way possible…now they were planning to use it against Valian, no matter the cost…it’s better to stop a war before it happens,”  
  
“By making our country more vulnerable to Valian?”  
  
Joel shook his head.  
  
“Valian is as vulnerable as Akatsuki, if not more…we have brothers on that side as well,”  
  
Kouta frowned before turning his gaze towards the anxious man.  
  
“How long are you planning to hide in the throne room?” he grumbled, joining the two enchanted soldiers in watching Miura pacing back and forth.  
  
“Till someone comes and tells me who or what killed my entire mercenary force, it’s been days and still no news,”  
  
“Should I go find out?” Kouta asked getting to his feet. Miura shot him a glare.  
  
“Like we’ll let the King’s most trusted scholar die at the hands of whatever it is out there! Having you in the council will guarantee support from the part of the community loyal to the Monarch and your words on how the Monarch was going to use up all the King’s finances to fuel a war will help our cause,”  
  
Kouta rolled his eyes. All three men literally jumped when there was a knock at the door.  
  
“Joel!” Miura ordered. The man nodded and brandished his staff. The enchanted soldiers took a defensive stance by the door.  
  
“Come in!” Miura called out. The double doors opened to reveal a figure clad in a white flanked by two more guards under Joel’s control. Kouta’s eyes widened as they traveled over the lanky young man dressed in white pants and shirt under a large coat, the collar rimmed with soft feathers. His jet black hair framed a glowing complexion and thin pink lips were pulled in the most charming of smiles.  
  
The mole under his one eye, it was no mistake…  
  
“Yuto?”  
  
The boy smiled wider.  
  
“Your…,”  
  
Miura shook his head trying to overcome the shock of seeing the young King in such good shape. He was used to the boy being sickly growing up.  
  
“You look well,” Kouta spoke, eyes upon the floor. The way Yuto was smiling at him, with so much affection made his heart heavy with guilt.  
  
“I’m no longer eating the poison you’ve been feeding me, maybe that’s why,”

Kouta stared at the younger man in shock.  
  
“Oh? You thought I wouldn’t figure it out?  You were adding a bit of poison into my food, every meal…I always thought it would be medicine for me…but…well I was hinted off about this by another friend see,”  
  
Kouta bit his trembling lip, staring at the floor.  
  
“It’s alright, I found out while I was at the Academy… and since it’s you… I can’t be angry,”  
  
“Enough!” Miura snarled as the guards tightened their hold around the boy’s arms. He rolled his eyes before fixing them back onto Miura.  
  
“We were wondering where you had run off to,” Joel spoke, an eyebrow arched.  
  
“So you’re the one controlling my men? I never knew that even the Advisor to the King was allowed a mage, my father was surely generous,”  
  
“So you just decided to escape, find a change of clothes and then get caught? You do know we are planning to publically execute you,”  
  
Miura paled as the young man nodded, looking genuinely pleased.  
  
“Well, I am not going to run, in fact, I’m here to surrender!”  
  


~*~


	35. Your Salvation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukino is the name of the capital city of the Akatsuki Kingdom.
> 
> The crowd's shouts are in bold.

 

It was a little sanctuary. Hidden, secluded, protected from all that was harsh and all that was fierce. The soft spray of water upon water was all they could hear, the sweet perfume of roses and the strong smell of wet grass scented the air. Black and scarlet clashed with white and blue, holding the other in a cautious gaze. Both bodies lay upon the grass near the stone fountain, side by side yet at a distance, enjoying the peace of the relative silence, the security of solitude. Each clutched half of the same brooch between his fingers.  
  
 _“This is transient,”  
  
“Non-existent,”  
  
“Our existence is fleeting,”  
  
“Our existence is a dream,”  
  
“The question remains…,”_  
  
Both stared up at the great expanse of space, the stars and the planets decorating the ceiling of their shared fantasy.  
  
 _“Who is the dreamer?”_

 

~*~

  
“Kaede, wait up!”  
  
Yuu adjusted the shawl around her head and her shoulders, eyes wandering over the crowd of people swarming the main streets of Tsukino. All around her she could see hear and feel anger, desperation… contempt. The sky was a dull gray and the air was stilled, adding to the suffocating atmosphere.  
  
She bit her lip as she collided against an unknown shoulder and then stumbled as she was shoved to the side. Gathering her senses together, she tried to concentrate on the voices around her.  
  
“They’ve abandoned us! The plague is taking lives but the castle says nothing, does nothing! Don’t they have healers? Mages?” came a man’s voice, ringing through the commotion.  
  
“Nobody knows what’s going on at the castle, whatever it is has killed our King and Queen and now it’s up there, watching as we succumb to a  
deadly illness!”  
  
“I’m scared,” spoke a young woman close to her.  
  
“Pray for a miracle, that’s all we can do,” came a gentler voice.  
  
She felt a tug around her arm and jumped in surprise, relaxing as she discovered it was Koki, pulling her close.  
  
“Stay with me, we’ll get separated otherwise,” he croaked. Her lower lip trembled as she held back a sob at how deathly pale the man looked. Without Yuya, he was her only family… and the thought that she was losing him too…  
  
How they had made the journey on the open road was a wonder. She moved her gaze to the girl that had led them this far, walking on ahead, maneuvering through the crowd as if she were in some kind of trance.  
  
“Kaede!” Yuu called but groaned as the girl paid her no heed. She sighed; at least there were only four people apart.  
  
“Where is everybody going?” Yuu then asked aloud, knowing that somebody will answer her question.  
  
“Lord Miura has called for us to gather at the town square,” a young man spoke up from behind her.  
  
“Why?” asked Koki surprised, turning to him. The man looked as pale as Koki did, and was half leaning on a younger boy as he weakly shook his head.  
  
“We don’t know, but it’s the first time in a long time that the castle is sending word… we are all hoping that they have found some kind of cure or are at least doing something about everything that’s gone so horribly wrong,”  
  
Koki and Yuu exchanged anxious glances before turning back to look for Kaede, who, to their dismay was now lost somewhere in the crowd.  
  
“Oh no… Kaede!”  
  
“Stay with me Yuu-chan, we will find her don’t worry,” Koki rasped, keeping a firm grip on the younger girl.  
  
The duo moved with the procession, through the main street, step after step, shoulder against shoulder, finally coming to a halt by the castle gates where a large platform had been constructed. It appeared to be a stage for a public execution.  
  
“What the hell?” Koki gasped, breathing heavy. Yuu looked at him anxiously, knowing perfectly well that this man was still standing due to pure will. Her eyes than wandered up to where the rope hung, swaying slightly, the noose at the very end intimidating and it made her wonder who the council was sending to the gallows. The large gates creaked as they opened only slightly, enough for a man to step out. Silence fell over the crowd as Miura appeared from the gates, climbing the steps to stand atop the platform, facing the crowd. He cleared his throat aloud before beginning to speak, voice calm and steady.  
  
“My fellow citizens of Tsukino, people of Akatsuki… I have asked you all to gather here for a few important reasons; first and foremost…  a cure has been found for this dreadful plague and the council plans to distribute it as soon as possible!”  
  
The crowd erupted into cheers.  
  
 “Secondly…,” he announced, raising his hands to silence the crowd.  
  
Yuu frowned as he sighed, finger brushing under his eye as if wiping a stray tear. His voice broke as he continued to speak.  
  
“I know there have been rumours, but I regret to inform you that it is indeed true; Akatsuki’s King and Queen have passed away,”  
  
The silence that followed those words was almost terrifying. Miura waited until the absence of noise was filled with the shocked buzzing of the bewildered crowd.  
  
Yuu’s eyes widened as she spotted Kaede at the very front of the mass, ignoring the murmurs around her. Miura sighed again, deeper this time looking absolutely crestfallen.  
  
“Dark times have befallen us, you can’t even begin to imagine what has occurred beyond these walls… our leaders have failed us… they have been hiding from us a powerful weapon, a weapon they have been so bent on protecting that they forgot that it existed to protect us,”  
  
“What is he saying?” Koki breathed, frowning. The crowd was unsettled at Miura’s words but they kept their voices down, eager for an explanation. Yuu eyed Kaede, remembering the girl’s ‘ _National Secret_ ’.  
  
“The council confronted them, pleaded to them to remember that the people were dying in the streets, our economy is dismal, our armies too weak… then this plague fell and still they would not waver from their plans on warfare… the struggle became dangerous, they used their mages and we did everything we could to protect ourselves… we lost a lot of men and the King and Queen succumbed to injuries. Just when we thought the reign of this war-loving monarch was finally over, we discovered that the royals had trained their only son to use this weapon and had brainwashed him to use all of our country’s resources on plans for starting a war with Valian…,”  
  
People had started to shout; anger, fear and confusion evident in their reactions. Miura held up his hands and a silence fell upon the crowd as the young prince appeared upon the platform, bound in chains and held by two guards. His head hung low, features obscured by his hair.  
  
“With your approval, the council will end this monarch’s rule for good,”  
  
To what end?” rang Kaede’s voice, loud and clear. Miura’s eyes widened as he spotted her and Yuu felt her heart drop as he motioned a guard with his eyes.  
  
“What do you mean young lady?” he spoke calmly and Yuu pushed her way to stand by her friend as she saw Miura’s guard descending the stairs, eyes on the girl.  
  
“The only mage in the hall belonged to you; the royal family’s mage was not even in the country…,”  
  
“Who the hell are you?” exclaimed a man standing next to Kaede. The girl’s eyes were fixed on the prince, face expressionless, eyes strangely hazy but never leaving the royal.  
  
“I was in the throne hall, hiding as you, Lord Miura and your mage attacked the King after enchanting the castle soldiers to turn against their own ruler… the Queen interfered, but they stopped resisting after you blackmailed them to abdicate, you told them that you had their son’s life in your hand,”  
  
The guard had advanced to where the girl stood but he was blocked by Koki who despite his declining strength refused to budge.  
  
“What’s going on?” Kouta asked, peering from the top of a watchtower a considerable distance from the castle gates. Joel stood next to him, eyes upon Kaede.  
  
“I’m trying to enchant her to shut the hell up but it’s not working!” the man exclaimed, clearly panicking. Kouta fixed an anxious gaze upon the prince who hadn’t as much as looked up from the ground.  
  
 _“What are you planning Yuto?”_  
  
“Is she telling the truth?” came a voice from the crowd.  
  
“I saw it, with my own eyes how you first killed my precious Queen and then the King with the sword they gave you as a reward for your services, “  
  
“My lady Kaede I did not recognize you, I’m sorry you had to bear witness to such an ordeal but it was a step we took to protect our Kingdom, you are too blinded with the love you have for the woman who kept you prisoner in that castle,” Miura responded calmly.  
  
“The water was poisoned,”  
  
This time it was Yuu who spoke up, shouting above the outraged murmurs of the crowd.  
  
“Now what?” Miura scowled as Yuu glared up at him. The guard and Koki were engaged in a fierce struggle, pushing people away.  
  
“The root of this plague lies in the city’s water supply, it’s a poison, I tested it and I have proof,” Yuu went on, pulling a vial out of her pocket and holding it up for the crowd to see.  
  
“So?” Miura pressed, unimpressed at the bottle of clear water in her hand.  
  
“People listen to her she’s an Apothecary, I know her!” a voice rang from the mass. Yuu didn’t recognize it, but she was grateful nonetheless.  
  
Miura paled as people started whispering amongst themselves.  
  
“You must have known about it being poisoned to come up with an antidote, why didn’t you just warn people about it? Why didn’t you stop them from drinking the contaminated water? Why wait till people start dying to announce that there is now an antidote?” Yuu continued, spurred on by the response of the crowd.  
  
Koki smirked as Miura gaped at her. The girl’s statement took a painful while to set in, before the crowd burst into cries of outrage.  
  
 ****

**“What are you planning Miura?”  
  
“You’re a criminal!”  
  
“How could you do this to us?”  
  
“You poisoned the water didn’t you!”**   
  


“We…,” Miura began looking around uncertainly. He turned to look up at the window of the watchtower where his mage stood watching. Joel nodded, catching his eye.  
  
 It was time for the back-up plan.  
  
He patted Kouta’s shoulder.  
  
“Go out there and do some damage control, if you can impress the King of Valian, this crowd is a petty task,”  
  
Kouta shrugged off Joel’s hand with a scowl and headed for the stairs.  
  
“Kouta,”  
  
The young man stopped in his tracks without a backward glance to the mage.  
  
“Don’t do anything reckless, if we go down, you will be going down with us,”  
  
Kouta sighed.  
  
“I know,”  
  
Yuu smiled in triumph at the uneasy look on Miura’s face. With the way the crowd’s rage was rising to murderous intent, his plan was backfiring. Her eyes widened though as Kouta appeared onto the platform.  
  
“Kou-ni?” she murmured, heart dropping as her brother’s childhood friend leaned closer to Miura who whispered something in his ear. With a nod Kouta stood before the crowd and bowed. Silence fell once again.  
  
Kouta was well known in Tsukino as the intelligent and friendly guardian of Yuto. Despite being the son of a scholar, he was of humble origins. Yuu and her brother had known his family as they belonged to the same village. He was an admirable figure for the youth, starting of as a poor village boy and then becoming the prince’s representative to the people and an active member of public relations. People would actively approach him for problems to present to the council and he would be patient in accepting all requests.  
  
Miura had definitely picked the best ally in order to win the kingdom’s favour.  
  
The young man straightened up and faced the sea of people. Yuu tried to read his expressions, but there weren’t any. He was doing an excellent job in masking them.  
  
“Like mentioned by Lord Miura, our rulers were indeed involved in a political dispute with Valian as well as in hiding a dangerous weapon that they planned to use against the rival kingdom,”  
  
Miura smirked. Kouta stood steady, eyes ahead.  
  
“However, in the light of events that followed and the question of this Monarch’s negligence to our nation, I speak as both a member of the council and the guardian of the monarch’s heir that we let Yuto, our current King to speak in defense of his family, as is by law a justified method of trial with the people of the nation acting as jury. It should be up to all of us to decide, together, whether our rulers have acted in our favour… or against it,”  
  
Yuu wanted to cry at the horrified look on Miura’s face as Kouta turned and bowed in respect to the bound Yuto, before backing off to stand in the shadows.  
  
The crowd was in an uproar.  
  
 **“Let the boy speak!”  
  
“Yeah let him talk!”**  
  
Miura’s guards seemed to detect the uneasiness of their employer and loosened their hold on the boy. Upon Miura’s weak nod, they released his binds and finally the boy straightened up, shuffling to stand before the mass. His hair was ruffled, eyes moist and bloodshot. The mere sight of the boy pulled the crowd into a heavy hush.  
  
This was the boy they had loved dearly for the past 18 years after all.  
  
Yuto ran his gaze over the many faces staring up at him, blinking back the tears and sniffing. He held his hands together and bowed low.  
  
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everything this nation had to go through, for everything that could have been prevented, been avoided… I’m so sorry,”  
  
Kouta gazed at his young King who was looking more vulnerable and terrified and guilty than he had ever seen him before turning his gaze to the silent crowd. He could see a mixture of expressions, most hardened, some torn.  
  
“It does appear that we are focused on warfare, but believe me when I say that it is not to start a war, but to prevent it,”  
  
“I departed to Leirion some days ago, to our neighbouring nation of the elves to ask for their assistance and they have agreed to send us their forces shall we ever need them, that’s how much of a threat Valian is to our kingdom,”  
  
 **“People are dying in the streets, there will be nothing left for Valian to invade if this continues!”** came a shout from the crowd followed by several gestures of agreement.  
  
Yuto swallowed hard.  
  
“You all haven’t even given me a chance,” he spoke, looking almost heartbroken.  
  
“I came to contribute my strength to the people, to do my part in protecting you all, in righting what’s gone wrong… I’ve prepared for this my whole life… but now I’m left without my parents’ guiding hands and your hatred. I know I probably don’t deserve it, but the only thing left for me to do…,”  
  
Miura flinched as the boy turned to him a steely gaze.  
  
“My parents’ reputation, their efforts, I will not stand and see it tarnished or gone to waste… not at the hands of a treacherous fool,”  
  
Yuto returned to gazing upon those judging eyes.  
  
“Our country possesses an energy source. It is what powers our homes, cleanses our waters. It is the energy source that Valian is after. They don’t care if we live or die, if our streets are deserted, if are homes are on fire. They care not for human lives or this land… they want the source and they will do anything it takes to grab it. Now tell me if you still believe that my parents were wrong in wanting a weapon to protect this kingdom.”  
  
Yuu was breathing through her mouth, each breathe coming out in puffs of smoke. The eyes that gazed up at the young King were bewildered, full of fear.  
  
“The secret my parents have been trying to hide, to protect, it is indeed a weapon. However, it is not what Lord Miura assumed, what he based confronting my parents on… this revolt on,”  
  
“The weapon is not this energy source… it is me.”

~*~


	36. Cleansing Rain

 

_“The weapon is not this energy source… it is me.”_

Kouta stared up at the great expanse of the gray sky. It was getting darker as the day came closer to its end. Something was changing, he could feel it. A light breeze had begun to blow from the south, easing the suffocating atmosphere. The crowd literally gaped at the young man, standing straight and staring right back into their eyes, no fear, doubt or uncertainty in his.  
  
“What is this nonsense?” Miura began getting impatient. He felt a sharp edge against his spine and stared in shock at the man next to him. Kouta was staring at Yuto, but one hand stayed behind Miura’s back, holding a blade.  
  
“Move and I will kill you,” Kouta murmured in silence.  
  
“You’ve lost it Kouta, this boy will be the death of you… and the end of everything! Remember the Elder’s prophecy?” Miura whispered harshly. Yuto had started talking again.  
  
“Prediction… theory,” Kouta responded blandly.  
  
“We did not raise you to question our principles this way! You have worked for us, **_with us_** all your life… you promised you would do all it takes for the safety of this kingdom, the people…,”  
  
“Don’t you see it!” Kouta argued back now looking him in the eyes, voice as low as he could possibly keep at the height of his emotions.  
  
“I don’t care anymore… all I care about… is him… my King,”  
  
Miura’s eyes hardened as he looked upon the younger man with dread.  
  
“We have lost you Kouta… we have lost you.”  
  
Kouta continued staring at the crowd, mildly interested in their reactions, blade still firm and poised. Miura frowned. Why wasn’t Joel doing anything?  
  
A slight smirk tugged at the corner of Yuto’s lips but it vanished in the blink of an eye as he responded to an accusation from the crowd.  
  
“If you’re a weapon, what good does it do to us? One man alone can’t fight an invading nation; you will need what little of our army is left… and then what about this plague? What about poverty? How will you keep the homeless from freezing to death in the coming winters? By the time you do something about our economy, half the nation would be dead,”  
  
Yuto shook his head and then bowed.  
  
“Give me a chance, one chance... 7 days the most… if I have failed you in this time period… I will accept defeat; any punishment you deem fit… just one chance,”  
  
“Cure us of this plague… and you shall have that chance!” somebody shouted followed by various murmurs of agreement. Yuu could tell the people were uncertain now. They could not comprehend the royal begging for a chance to prove himself with head bowed low. They couldn’t just accept him either, the anger was too strong. They had suffered after all.  
  
Yuto straightened up.  
  
“I will.”  
  
In reflex Yuu caught Kaede as the girl swayed; her skin pale and cold. She blinked at her friend a couple of times; as if waking up from a dream; confused and bewildered.  
  
Both girls looked up as Yuto raised his hands, stretching them before himself, palms raised to the sky, eyes falling shut, as if urging something to rise.  
  
“What is he doing?” Yuu whispered. Koki shrugged, looking a little disturbed.  
  
“He’s going to use the crystals,” Kaede deduced as her ring began to glow ever so lightly. Yuu stared at her, flabbergasted.  
  
“Crystals? You mean the blue stones?”  
  
People began to get uneasy as one by one the street lamps started glowing with the most beautiful radiance. A comforting warmth spread with the light until the whole city was endowed in a fairy-like blue hue. The pipes and taps located around the capital burst and fountains shot out of wells and soon the city was drenched in the earth-born rain.

Chaos spread through the people as they felt trapped within their own numbers, unable to escape the downpour.  
  
The light made the water glint like blue diamonds.  
  
Miura watched quietly, realizing that the castle grounds and their platform remained completely dry.  
  
“Yuu-chan,” Koki called the girl. Kaede watched in amazement as the colour returned to both their faces, the once weak patients of the plague were voicing their surprise as strength returned to their bodies, the water cleansing them of all disease. Wounds and lesions on the skin were healing before their very eyes.  
  
Kaede looked up at her King, whose hair had lost its jet black tint and now fluttered in the wind, a snowy white. His eyes snapped open, a striking blue.   
  
“This isn’t just happening in the capital… it’s happening in the whole kingdom,” Yuto spoke, more to Miura and Kouta.  
  
“Who… who is he really?” said a man near Koki, voice shaky.  
  
“Papa look!” Yuu watched as a young girl hopped around her father happily, her cheeriness garnering much attention.  
  
“I don’t feel sick anymore,”  
  
“He’s… he’s our savior… this Kingdom’s salvation… that’s what the King and Queen were trying to protect… his gift,” Kaede remarked, gazing up at the young King in awe.  
  
“So will you give me a chance then, this is just a small part of what I am really capable of,” Yuto asked aloud. The people took their time, savouring their replenished health and trying to take in the sudden change in Yuto’s appearance all at once.  
  
“He could have easily killed us all in some strange way just like he cured us… he seems powerful enough,” Koki suggested with other nodding in agreement.  
  
“He’s intelligent, he graduated with honors from his academy and he is humble,” Kaede added enthusiastically.  
  
Yuu gave her a teasing glance sideways.  
  
“He’s always been really sweet, even as a kid,” someone added. Koki was looking around nodding at everyone rather randomly.  
  
“Valian stands no chance against someone like him,”  
  
“Your Majesty!” Yuu called out. She felt a shiver as those mystifying blue eyes fixed on her. She bowed politely.  
  
“We are in your care sire,”  
  
Yuto nodded with a smile as the people started cheering.  
  
“Long live the King! Long live King Yuto!”  
  
Miura gulped as Yuto snapped his fingers. All the castle soldiers awoke from Joel’s magic induced trance and within minutes he found himself in custody. Kouta watched as a struggling Miura was hauled away by soldiers accompanied by more cheers from the crowd. He was continuously shouting of how Yuto was going to send the kingdom to its doom at the top of his lungs.  
  
He put up no resistance as the soldiers approached him. He was a traitor after all and he was ready for punishment. He sighed as the soldier’s began to lead him down the platform.  
  
“Kou-nii,”  
  
Turning around, he found Yuto looking at him sternly and so he bowed his head in respect.  
  
“I’m sorry, for everything,” he said simply, feeling as if his spirit was fading away slowly under the King’s judging eyes. As the soldiers began to take him away again, he heard the King say something that made him feel as if he had been struck by lightning.  
  
“You should have listened to Miura, he was right about me.”

~*~


	37. Imprisoned Will

“Hikaru,”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Are we going to die here?”  
  
Hikaru sighed, looking over to where his cellmate lay slumped against the wall, eyes staring at nothing in particular. He had lost count of the days since they had been literally thrown ( _seriously those brutes were strong!_ ) into the castle dungeons.  With no guards to badger for information and no prison mates to plan a daring rescue with, both boys had taken to staying put and doing pretty much nothing.  
  
Frustrating as it was, they had tried everything else.  
  
Hikaru scrambled to his feet as he heard the clanking of chains and the heavy shuffling of many feet. The dim and dingy corridors were lit by an open door somewhere, and the few torches flickered in the draft. Hikaru could smell concrete and fabric… strange but he could tell the people coming were all well- dressed. Peeking through the bars his vision was blocked by the back of a couple of castle guards. He heard them unlocking the cell opposite theirs.  
  
“I am disappointed in you… truly…,” said a man amongst them; a voice of stern authority, before the heaving door was swung shut and locked. The guards then turned to face Hikaru, frowning as they saw him standing flat against the bars, trying to squeeze as much of himself through as possible.  
  
“Who are you?” asked one.  
  
Hikaru blinked at him. When the mercenaries had thrown them in here, these guards had just stood at the side, impassive, the boys’ pleas of injustice falling on deaf ears.  
  
He told them just that and watched them grow bewildered.  
  
“Your name?”  
  
“I’m Hikaru and that’s Yuya of the Mad Hunter’s Guild, we were hired by King Yuto,”  
  
The head of the group sighed as the others hung their heads in shame.  
  
“We’ll confirm it with his Majesty and then get you out,” spoke the authoritative one, his tone surprisingly gentle.  
  
“You’ll let us out?” Yuya spoke up, shuffling to where Hikaru stood agape.  
  
“The chaos has ended; we are ashamed of having been taken over by such magic but King Yuto has reclaimed the throne and the traitors have been dealt with… that one,”  
  
The man jerked his head towards the cell behind him.  
  
“He’s the last of them… lifetime imprisonment for attempted murder of the king and conspiring with the traitors… he was to be on death row but he subdued the crowd and surrendered peacefully so the King decided to make an exception,”  
  
Both boys nodded dumbly.  
  
“Just wait here for a bit okay?” the captain of the guards assured them and both boys shouted their gratitude as the small group left the dungeon.  
  
“I am having trouble believing all of this,” Yuya murmured.  
  
“The boy’s safe, he took care of everything!” Hikaru responded, smiling.  
  
“Yeah… he didn’t look too good when we last parted though…,” Yuya said, a slight frown on his face.  
  
“He wasn’t alone! He had…,”  
  
“Kouta!”  
  
Hikaru was taken aback by the exclamation. Yuya was staring ahead with wide, bewildered eyes.  
  
“Yeah Kou-chan was with him-,”  
  
“NO LOOK!”  
  
Hikaru followed the older boy’s shaking finger and gasped as he spotted his childhood friend standing against the bars, making himself visible.  
  
“Hey guys,” came the unenthusiastic response.  
  
“Why the hell are you in that cell?”  
  
“You heard the captain,” Kouta responded with a sigh, turning his back to them and sliding onto the ground.  
  
Kouta took in the heavy silence that followed; unbothered by the time his friends were taking to comprehend the situation. It was Hikaru who spoke first, breaking his numbing peace.  
  
“What makes you think I will believe that? Yuto will never allow this! You’re being framed-”  
  
“Hikaru,”  
  
The young man was silence by the stern tone of Kouta’s voice. He looked over at Yuya who seemed equally bewildered.  
  
“It is true… I really did do all of that…,”  
  
It was the second time both boys had been rendered speechless by pure confusion and disbelief. Hikaru literally felt as if a chunk of his brain cells had died from shock.  
  
“That’s a lie,” Yuya spoke simply, waving the matter off and falling with a thump on the ground, arms folded.

It was all just a prank. Especially since this was coming from the man that used to be their laid-back leader as they went around painting the village red as kids. Kouta was not a criminal or a traitor and whatever else the captain had accused him off!  
  
“Kouta… what happened actually? Will you please tell me,” Hikaru pleaded, ignoring the huffing Yuya next to him. Kouta wasn’t looking at him in the eyes so there was still hope.  But his heart fell a few feet as the older boy stood his full height, stared him right back and spoke with a voice so severe, it was frightening.  
  
“I came to the castle as a member of an organization that has been planning to end this Monarch’s rule and yes, my mission was to slowly poison the prince to death under the pretense of a childhood illness; so stop pestering me and leave me to my fate, my punishment is justified and it has nothing to do with either of you,”  
  
Hikaru was speechless at how hateful his old friend seemed; of whom, he couldn’t really tell. Yuya wasn’t saying anything either… there was nothing to say really… except for maybe, well… scream.  
  
“Yuya?” Hikaru exclaimed, clutching his already aching heart as said boy scrambled back as far as he could from the bars. A sharp burn under the fingers that were wrapped around the bars made Hikaru jump back with a yell as he realized the source of his friend’s bewilderment. The metallic confines of their cell had started to glow golden red as if being heated. Kouta frowned, backing off as the same thing started happening to his cell. The boys watched as the glow intensified, the bars taking the appearance of molten lava before literally evaporating into smoke with a hiss.  
  
“Why… why would you do this?” Kouta all but whispered, staring at the empty space where his cell door used to be. He couldn’t see them but he knew the crystal sprites had gotten them out. He didn’t receive an answer of course but more questions as the stone tiles on the floor right between the two previously occupied cells began shifting to reveal a narrow stairway, lit up by torches and not crystals. As they moved closer they realized two figures were cautiously climbing up towards them. They stopped as they spotted the boys.  
  
“Aoi-chan… Keito-sama?” Hikaru called out, smiling in relief as the mage waved and Keito grinned.  
  
“Hurry… the sprites are taking us out of the castle, somewhere safe,” Aoi spoke, her thick spectacles magnifying her already widened eyes.  
  
“But… it’s King Yuto, he’s going to let us out… why is it not safe?” Yuya asked confused. Kouta’s breath hitched as Keito’s jaw tightened and Aoi’s face fell.  
  
“There is no time to explain, we need to get as far away from the King and his crystal, now hurry!”

  
~*~

  
“Yuto!”  
  
His eyes scanned the ever-darkening sky, the rolling thunder and the chill in the air felt like menace looming overhead, heavy with warning.  
  
“Yuto… where are you?” he gasped, feet taking him through the green corridors of the maze, a network of never-ending paths that seemed to be just leading into each other. He crashed up against a hedge, catching his breath and growled in frustration.  
  
“YUTO!” he shouted into the sky, voice cracking as he did so. He could hear his heart hammering in his chest as he slid onto the ground.  
  
“Please don’t leave me alone…,” he cried, pulling his legs close to his chest, his weary eyes upon the ground before him.  
  
 _‘Ryosuke’_  
  
His head snapped up at the familiar voice and his heart clenched at the ache in it. He watched in silent wonder as a pure white feather fell from the sky. He reached out his hand and caught the delicate thing between his fingers.  
  
 _‘The storm is here.’_

~*~


	38. The Den of Woves

_“What is it?”_   
  
_“It’s a baby horse stupid,”_

_“You mean a foal?”_   
  
_“Whatever,”_   
  
_“You’re pouting again Ryo-chan,”_   
  
_“Am not!”_   
  
_“Are too,”_   
  
_“You’re annoying,”_   
  
_“Shh!”_   
  
_“Wha-mph!”_   
  
_Ryosuke gasped as Yuto grabbed him, slapping a palm over his mouth. He glared up at the young prince who was now holding him in a death grip but frowned as he noticed his apprehension. They held their breaths as the young black creature neighed softly, blinking up at the bush where they were hiding, as if looking right at them._   
  
_“Mmmghfashemmm,”_   
  
_“What?”_   
  
_Ryosuke blinked up at him, cheeks squished between the prince’s fingers. Yuto removed his palm with an apologetic smile._   
  
_“Did you notice, it has a horn… like those unicorns in stories,” Ryosuke whispered as they shifted closer to the foliage, to peek through the gaps in the leaves. He looked at his companion who looked back bewildered._   
  
_“Well it’s not from our stables; we don’t have black horses with golden horns,”_   
  
_“So how did it get into the castle grounds?”_   
  
_Ryosuke turned his back to the bush and pushed against it with a gasp._   
  
_“Ryo-chan what’s…,”_   
  
_Yuto’s breath caught in his chest as turned around and spotted the creature, its horn inches from his throat._   
  
_“Yu- Yuto-kun,” Ryosuke squeaked, eyes wide with fright. Yuto gulped and closed his eyes tight, body trembling badly._   
  
_“Ryo-chan… run,” he whispered breathlessly, trying really hard to stop his shivering as the horn grazed his skin lightly, making goose bumps appear all over him._   
  
_“Sh… shoo,” Ryosuke said rather stupidly, hands holding the prince’s arm in a death grip. The creature backed off a few steps, its hooves heavy on the soft ground and Ryosuke stumbled to shield his 10-year-old companion._   
  
_“Ryo-chan?”_   
  
_“You’re the prince, I’ll get hanged for leaving you behind,” the older boy responded with a shaky laugh. He squeaked as the young prince grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug and exclaimed dramatically;_   
  
_“Comrades die together!”_   
  
_' **Good…'**_   
  
_Yuto’s eyes widened as the creature observed them, opal-like eyes glinting in the moonlight._

_That voice…?_   
  
**_Don’t ever forget that…_ **

~*~

  
A strange silence had fallen over the castle. Despite the eerie glow of the firestones, the long corridors lay empty and dim, giving off the feeling of an eternal prison for the small group of servants walking in hushed steps. Heading the group was the recently widowed Queen Amaya, looking like a lifeless doll gliding upon the black marble floors, eyes set and serious.  
  
When a soldier had come to release them from the tower chambers, they all did not know what to expect. The Steward was dead, his young son was some kind of demonic being chained in his bedroom and the only person left in command was a very young Knight.  
  
Their once magnificent stone castle was now floored with shining black marble and walled by crystalline mirrors, standing upon the a make-shift stage of firestones, closer to the sky and further from the people in the cities below.  
  
How it had all happened, nobody could explain.  
  
“Where are we being taken?” Amaya asked the soldier, a man she recognized as one of the young cadets who had been assigned to patrol the gardens. He seemed stoic yet strangely fascinated with the way ahead as if he was awed to be in these halls.  
  
“The King has summoned you all my’ Lady… I have been assigned as your personal guard,”  
  
“The… the King?” she stuttered as she spoke, bewildered.  
  
The procession came to a stop in the hall before the throne room and Amaya found herself gaping at the fleshy vines that grew from the black stone walls of the great hall, sprouting roses in black and white. A majestic doorway carved with floral designs that sparkled gold under the light of the firestones stood before them.  
  
Ryutaro was speaking with a soldier at the door and he acknowledged her presence with a gracious bow.  
  
“What… what’s going on?” Amaya asked with a hint of authority, realizing that all her servants were too mesmerized by the new make-over the castle had gotten to question it.  
  
Ryutaro merely looked at her, before lightly touching the door. The carvings glowed with the contact and the double doors trembled as they began to open.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Amaya realized that the air was scented with the roses that grew in strange outcroppings along the glass-floored walkway leading to the throne. Beyond the throne stood the magnanimous circular window through which silvery moonlight poured in. She noticed the two fountains on either side as she passed them, the water was glinting and it made her thirsty. A large chandelier hung above her, reflected on the glass below. The walls were all covered by the same carvings, all aglow but dim enough so that the room was magnificent yet serene.  
  
Her eyed fell upon the lone figure that had been standing by the window. She could make out a lean figure in black, his robe rimmed with feathers on the collars and gloves hid his hands. He turned to face her as the procession stopped before the throne and she gasped, eyes tearing at how breathtaking he was in comparison to the state she had last seen him in.  
  
His face was calm and his gaze even with the crimson irises was soft, almost friendly as it landed on her.  
  
“Ryosuke? Is that really you?”  
  
The young man walked towards his rightful seat and stood facing the group of 35; servants, guards, council members and the previous Queen all looked at him with a mixture of awe and fear.  
  
“Yes, I am Ryosuke… and from today onwards… your King.”

~*~

  
“A mapmaker?”  
  
Daiki peered around the dimly lit room, eyes traveling over the countless diagrams and maps over the walls, the many bookshelves and the piles of scrolls on a scribe table behind the counter.  
  
He had reluctantly allowed Yuma to lead him on a run across the city, to a district so remote and intimidating with its narrow alleys and overpopulated blocks that made the poor in Akatsuki appear well-off. He had realized they were in the slums of Audacia as soon as they crossed the second block, and the candles in the apartments were being extinguished for fear of raids by the authorities.  
  
Yuma explained that whenever the situation in the city becomes unstable, the security forces raided the slums to apprehend anyone they found capable of causing trouble… mostly the youth, regardless of whether they had done anything to deserve an arrest or not.  
  
When a boy or girl was taken from the slums, they were never returned.  
  
The slums had their own array of tiny shops and they were all closed, doors barred and curtains drawn. Yuma had stopped by a corner shop, the only one that still had lights on and pulled him in, locking the door behind him.  
  
Daiki jumped a bit as he felt something rub against his leg. Looking down, he frowned as a gray kitten meowed at him, random  
patches of fur missing from its body.  
  
“Kikuchi-san?” Yuma called out, eyes upon the narrow entranceway.  
  
They heard the sounds of footsteps upon wood, as if a stairway was groaning and creaking as someone made their way down it. A young man with narrow but deep eyes and messy hair with tips the brushing his shoulders strode into view.  
  
“What are you doing here? I thought you must’ve fled like the rest of the uptown folks,” the boy said coolly, hands in his pockets.  
  
“Fuma cut the crap, where’s your dad?”  
  
“Right here,” said an older man with gray outcroppings on his head and the same deep eyes, appearing behind the youngster.  
  
“What brings you here young master?”  
  
“Kikuchi-san you need to stop calling me that, I need your help,”  
  
“How may I be of service?”  
  
“We need that map,”

Daiki noticed the shift as quickly as it came. Fuma looked apprehensive, the man’s face paled.  
  
“But my boy it’s not even complete… nobody has gone beyond the second intersection,”  
  
“We don’t need to reach the intersections… we want to take the route opposite it… the one that leads to the castle dungeons,”  
  
“There is a map to the castle dungeons?” Daiki spluttered and Yuma nodded impatiently.  
  
“The whole city is fleeing from the castle… why would you want to head towards it… especially since the Sinister Sages are rumored  
to be stationed in the dungeons,”  
  
“There is dark magic in those tunnels… me and the rest of the wolves have tried… but even the bravest of us have come back screaming,” Fuma sighed, massaging his neck.  
  
Daiki frowned.  
  
“My brother is being kept, a prisoner in that place… I need to get in the castle,” he spoke directly, watching as the father and son exchanged a look.  
  
“I’ll be with him… we will be careful,” Yuma added quickly. Fuma shrugged as the man nodded.  
  
“Alright, I’ll give you that map… and Fuma and the Wolves will get you as far as they can but only because of our old ties Yuma-kun,  
it’s an incomplete guide… be cautious,”  
  
Yuma nodded and pulled Daiki back as Fuma walked to where he was previously standing. He pulled the old rug to reveal a trap door.  
  
“Fine, I’ll take you guys but we need to make a quick stop first to pick up the rest of my boys,” he grumbled tugging the handle and pulling it open to reveal an underground chamber. He could hear echoes of people chattering and metal clanking and was surprised how it had been so quiet when the door was shut and under the rug.  
  
“Where are we stopping exactly?” asked Daiki in stark wonder as Fuma began his climb down. The younger boy looked up at him, an eyebrow arched.  
  
“Weren’t you listening? We’re wolves… we gather before we spread.”

~*~


	39. The Road Down

Kaede sighed, looking up from the scroll she had been working on. She watched the young King as he paced around the Tactical Map, seemingly engrossed in a serious discussion with his newly appointed advisor.

The kingdom’s most significant prisoner had just disappeared from the castle dungeons a few days back and Yuto had been surprisingly unbothered by it.

“We have more important things to do,” he had said, tone very nonchalant.

 She put down her quill and got to her feet, approaching the two young men by the table in the center of the hall. She could hear the relatively young advisor, Totsuka speaking in his soft yet firm tone.

“That would affect our trade routes with the Kingdoms Leirion and Sanca my liege,”

“Hmm, there must be some other way then,”

“My Lord, I’m done going through the petitions, is there anything else you would like me to do?” she spoke up. Yuto blinked at her as if trying to remember something and then he smiled.

“Totsu, we will continue this after dinner,”

“Yes my liege,”

Leaving behind his advisor, Yuto held out his arm for Kaede and then silently motioned her to walk with him as he led her out of the hall and into the gardens.

“I’m sorry for making you do my paperwork,” he apologized with a sheepish smile. She shook her head, flustered.

“Assisting you is part of my duty sire,” she responded firmly.

“I just want to get as much work done as possible in the shortest period of time you know,”

“You have been busy sire, it’s been barely a week but you’ve selected a new council, strengthened the kingdom’s defense, you’ve increased the employment rate... you’ve come up with jobs I didn’t think existed… oh and not to mention… all of this,”

She gestured to the lush overgrowth of roses in deep red and an enchanting blue covering the grounds. The flowers had taken to grow like weeds by the roadside all over the kingdom, thanks to the crystal-infused water running underground. The air was crisp, lands more fertile and people healthier than ever.

It’s like the crystal had the power to heal and repair… just like Yuto.

Kaede frowned as Yuto came to a sudden stop, eyes upon the starry sky and a serious look upon his face.

“I am not really a good person Kaede,”

“What do you mean?”

“The Kingdom is celebrating, the end of their sufferings… prosperity being delivered to their doorstep… quite a haven I’ve created huh?”

Kaede nodded obediently. It was true. Akatsuki has never experienced such luxury before.

“There is a catch you know,”

 “A catch?”

“I’m not doing this just for the sake of my people Kaede. It’s all for a greater purpose.”

The girl felt a shiver run down her spine at the way Yuto looked at her. His face was the usual calm, a smile playing on his lips; eyes a glint with energy yet something about him seemed almost menacing.

The winged broach on his collar glowed slightly.

“I need everyone to be happy enough to be accepting of my plans you see,”

“Pe…plans?”

Yuto playfully flicked her forehead.

“I thought you would have caught on, considering you grew up under my mother,”

Kaede blinked up at him, feeling a lump in her throat.

“It’s always been the same plan from the start… ever wondered why both Akatsuki and Valian have been so bent on invading each other?”

Kaede felt the world spin as it all came to focus.

Yuto turned his back to her so she wouldn’t see the pain in his eyes that came with the words.

“We have to conquer Valian, before they conquer us.”

 

~*~

  
“How long have we been walking?” Yuma asked, a slight whine to his voice

“Since our last stop or since we started?” Daiki sighed back, trudging along in the large dim corridor. He looked and saw the small group of boys leading them. There had been more, a lot more living in makeshift camps in the area right under Kikuchi-san’s shop but Fuma had picked these select 4 to accompany them.

The journey to this ‘intersection’ was supposed to be 4 hours on foot but Yuma had asked for too many stops and now they were way over that time. Daiki wasn’t complaining, as eager as he was to see Ryosuke and set things straight, he was terrified.

If Ryosuke rejects him, refuses to forgive him… then what?

They could see light up ahead.

“Here we are; the second intersection!”

It seemed as if they had arrived at the crossroads of some ancient highway. The square area was lit up by torches. The way ahead was barred by boulders, the path on right forked into two and the one on the left felt like an ongoing tunnel, eerily dark.

“We go right,”

“What’s on the left?”

“We don’t know but there is a draft and it always snuffs out our torches so it’s impossible to see where it leads,”

_‘Daiki’_

He stopped dead in his tracks; it had been like a whisper in his ear.

“Daiki what’s wrong?” Yuma asked concerned at the way his friend was staring into space, bewildered.

The little sprite gave him a reassuring nod and pointed to the path on the left.

_‘You can’t do this alone,’_

“I don’t have time to go exploring,” he spoke in a hushed voice, anxiety creasing his features.

_‘You are already too late… your best chances are down this road… please trust me… Ryosuke will know if you approach him through  
the other path and he will be prepared…you won’t be,’_

“Um… Daiki… are you alright?” Yuma asked. The boy seemed to be silently interacting with something they couldn’t see.

Daiki took in a deep breath and began following the tiny creature into the tunnel. With each step forward, the firestone lamps by his sides came to life and they did so in succession as he continued down the road, drawn in by a light breeze.

He heard what was obviously awestruck silence but soon there was scuffling of feet and heavy panting before Yuma was abreast with him.

“Don’t leave me behind idiot!” the younger exclaimed.

Daiki smiled at him; turning around to notice how confused Fuma and his boys were at the way the lamps were reacting to him.

The sprite stopped again and flew down to where there was a manhole cover on the ground. She pointed at it and Daiki, with Yuma’s help removed it to reveal a dark hole.

“What is this?” Daiki exclaimed as the sprite beamed at him.

_‘A shortcut!’_

“There is no way I’m going in there!”

“Who are you talking to Daiki?” Yuma finally asked obviously freaked out. Daiki sighed as the little creature made a pleading face.

_‘There isn’t much time Daiki… wait… let me show you something then,’_

Daiki blinked as the creature came forward and placed its tiny hands upon his forehead. In an instant, there was a flash and he was falling through darkness. He flailed in the empty space, felt the rush of wind in his ears before it all came to a sudden stop and he was gently lowered onto soft grass.

 

~*~


	40. Flashes of The Past, a Glimpse of the Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback montage!!! Daiki starts a history lesson.
> 
> This chapter is exactly what the title says :)

“It’s a prince my King,”

There was a look of blissful surprise on the man’s face as he was permitted into the chamber of his queen to see her resting on the bed, cradling a bundle of blankets.

She gave him a weak smile as he leaned to kiss her brow before taking the baby boy into his arms. He laughed softly, shedding tears of joy. A few days ago he had been told that his baby would not have survived… but it seemed that the potion his mage had made from the crystal’s pieces had healed whatever was ailing his wife and child.

A healing crystal…

“You will be loved and cherished by all my dear Yuto.”

The room appeared to sparkle as the many sprites circled above the baby boy and the child blinked opened his eyes with an adorable smile, irises an icy blue.

 

~*~

  
“Keep him away from me!”

“My lady please calm down!”

The room would have been completely silent if not for the terrified screams of the woman, the exhaustion from her labor non-existent as she refused to hold her newborn.

“He is your son sister!” shouted a young woman as she cradled the little one instead, eyes wide at her sibling’s antics.

“He is a curse… get rid of him Amaya… he will be the end of us all!”

Amaya stepped away from her wailing sister, frowning at the redness of the baby’s lips and gasping at the deep blood-like pupils as they stared back at her.

 

~*~

  
“What is wrong with him?”

The king placed a reassuring arm around his wife as they watched their sleeping 6-year-old boy, breathing labored and skin pale.

“His body is weak, the crystal may have saved his life your majesty but it did not restore his health,” spoke the healer.

 

Young Kouta stood with his back facing the rest, swiftly pouring a purple powder into the Prince’s porridge.

“I will keep tending to him,” he spoke to the royals with a bow, carrying the hot meal towards the prince, a task he had been doing ever since he came into the family’s service.

 

~*~

  
The little boy stood still, skin dirtied by soot and specks of blood on his clothes. There was a terrified silence in the air as the child looked around, bloody red irises searching for the source of whimpers among the ash and dirt… remnants of the people that were harassing the child’s parents earlier.

The whimpering mother stifled her sobs as the father shakily pulled her up. They had watched their little boy’s eyes transform, they had watched as his mere gaze caused the bodies of those thugs to erupt into flames before disintegrating into ash and dust within minutes.

The boy’s eyes found his parents and the blood red cooled to a deep brown as he smiled.

The man rushed to him, covering him in a coat as a crowd started gathering.

“Ryosuke…,” the mother whispered as the boy reached out for her.

“Let’s move,” the father said sternly amongst the hushed murmurs about the demon child.

As the couple began to hastily leave the area, the child turned his head, eyes locking with a stunned figure a few feet away. The boy smiled shyly.

Daiki blinked, watching the family disappear the carnival’s vicinity, heard the whispers of the _‘poor men that died’_ and _‘the evil that walked amongst them in the form of a child’_.

 

~*~

  
“Where are you?”

Yuto’s voice was a whisper in the chilly air. His eyes were anxious as they swept over the green glade, stopping at the fountain in the center. It was eerily quiet, dark gray clouds shifting in the heavens above.

A smile lit up his face as he heard the thump thump of hooves on the ground and turned to spot a majestic steed with a shiny black coat and a golden horn upon its brow making its way into the glade, a very weary looking Ryosuke by its side.

Ryosuke’s eyes widened as he spotted him. Leaving the creature behind the boy strode over to him and punched him in the gut. Yuto gasped, bending over, the pain obvious on his face.

“Where… where were you?  I’ve been wandering this maze for days looking for you,”

Ryosuke stiffened as the lanky boy stood his full height before pulling him into a hug.

“I’m sorry,”

Yuto tightened his hold as he felt no response from the shorter guy but then he smiled as within minutes Ryosuke slumped against him, too tired to push away or hug him back.

“You are planning to kill me aren’t you… Yuto?”

Yuto’s eyes widened. With a sad sigh Yuto pushed back slightly, hands still on the other’s shoulders. Ryosuke’s gaze hardened as Yuto stared back, a soft, very affectionate smile in place.

“You’re my best friend… but I need to protect my kingdom,”

Ryosuke harrumphed, pushing his hands off.

“I know exactly what your _kingdom_ is,”

“What about yours?”

Ryosuke took a few steps back, eyes filled with hatred.

“You love that crystal… you believe in it because it believes in you… I want to take control of mine… like it has been in control of my fate so far… neither can tolerate the existence of the other… so one must be destroyed,”

“So you understand,” Yuto said lightly.

“I understand that you… like everyone else will be happier with me gone… and I for one… will not grant you that pleasure!”

Daiki stumbled back, breaking a twig beneath his shoes and gasped and both boys, previously unaware of his presence stared at him in shock.

“Dai-chan?”

Daiki took in a deep breath, recovering from the sudden tug that had pulled him back to where he stood in the tunnel, Yuma scrutinizing the ladder that led down the whole.

He blinked at the sprite, automatically getting on all fours and staring into the darkness below.

“Why did you show _me_ all of that?”

_‘You are the true guardian… the only one who can put an end to this war.’_   


 

~*~


	41. The Old Kingdom

“Where are we?” Yuma asked in a hushed voice, a hand over his grumbling tummy. They had climbed down a ladder into the dark where the air was humid and the dirt moist. He couldn’t tell how long they had been descending but once they had reached the ground it had been a crawl through a narrow earthen passageway with Daiki leading by the aid of the sprite’s glow.  
  
For what seemed like hours through uneven ground, multiple drops and climbs and an increasing need for food, water and a good long bath with disinfection of the minor cuts and gashes did the two boys reach a landing with a dead end.

The ceiling was too low for Yuma who had to crouch slightly but just perfect for Daiki. Yuma’s eyes were surprisingly sharp even in the dark since he couldn’t see the sprite and Daiki knew because it was the younger that pointed out the unusually jagged surface of the wall before them.  
  
Upon closer inspection Daiki realized that it was a dizzying design of spike shaped dull crystals arranged in an ever expanding spiral. Instinctively he placed his hands on the dirt covered crystals and watched them come alight, a calming green hue.

~*~

The ground shuddered and Keito instinctively grabbed the closest thing to him. Aoi didn’t have time to respond to the firm grip around her as both master and mage watched, awestruck and terrified as the ruins of the crystal studded stone altar began to glow with a blinding intensity and rays of light… like the northern lights of the sky spread out like unfurled ribbons around them.  
  
They were forced to shut their eyes and could only open them when the light died. Keito gaped as he watched two figures materialize with the dying light, and was speechless as the boy at the front looked around him in confusion, his eyes green like glowing emeralds.

~*~

  
Daiki took in the view before him. He was standing on some kind of stone platform overlooking a massive circular enclosure. There were rooms built into the stone wall, like some apartment complex with around 10 floors. The ceiling was a dark void, too high to be visible. From where he stood, he could see there were buildings and lights spreading beyond the enclosure. The tallest was a spiky tower of a castle somewhere further off. People had begun peeking from their windows and Daiki could hear a low hum of their chatter.  
  
The sprite had disappeared.  
  
“It’s an underground city…,” Yuma gasped as the boys cautiously descended the stairs of the altar. There was a crowd gathering by the foot of the stairway and Daiki felt very much uncomfortable with the way he was being stared at.  
  
“Daiki your eyes…,” Yuma pointed out with a frown.  
  
“What about them?”  
  
“Well… um… they changed colour…,”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Dai-chan!”  
  
Daiki turned his head to the direction of the call and was surprised to see Yuya, Hikaru, and Kouta all waving up at him from the crowd. Not far from where they stood Daiki spotted Yuto’s cousin and his mage.  
  
“Make way for him, move people,” came an authoritative voice.  
  
“Zach?”  
  
The man gave him a wave and a smile before draping an arm around a very relieved Yuma.  
  
“I knew you were gonna show up sooner or later,”  
  
“Excuse me?” Daiki blinked as Zach led them both towards the centermost encampment of the hall, leaving behind the murmuring crowd.  
  
“Hurry, come in!” Keito said impatiently taking Daiki’s hand and pulling him into the tent without a backward glance.  
  
“Where is this place?” Daiki asked as Keito left him to sit in a chair. The table was large and wooden and piled with scrolls, parchments, and books.  
  
“It’s the old kingdom and currently, the home for members of the Elder Sages of both countries, their families, followers and also rebel groups from Valian,” Keito explained patiently, taking a seat at the head of the table. Hikaru, Yuya, Kouta and Aoi stood by the entrance, all staring at Daiki with wonderment.  
  
“Is there something on my face?”  
  
“Well… for starters you're literally the green eyed monster…ouch!”  
  
Daiki blinked as Yuya rubbed the sore spot where Hikaru had smacked him.  
  
Keito cleared his throat nervously. He looked over to Aoi who nodded.  
  
“I think I should start from the very beginning,” she spoke striding over to him and placed an open book before him.  
  
“It’s blank!” Yuma commented confused but Daiki frowned.  
  
“You can see the script though right?” she asked him and he nodded. She exchanged an excited glance with Zach who got to his feet, announcing a need for dinner.      
  
“I think you should read this, we’ll discuss more after you are done… I’ll get someone to bring you food in here,” Aoi said before ushering the noisy bunch out of the tent.  
  
The chair was large enough for Daiki to pull his legs up and get comfortable; the book looked like a rather large volume. Rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes, he began to read.

 

_Our records reach as far as the early days of the Old Kingdom and nothing from before that._   
  
_They speak of a mystical stone._

_It is yet to understand whether its birth was the product of nature or a manmade accident. For nothing can compel a man in his right mind to endorse the existence of something so malicious._  
  
 _But then, the common man has always been influenced by his desire for power more strongly than anything else._  
  
 _The natives of the old kingdom were a dying tribe. They had been guarding the kingdom for centuries but with the passing years_ ,  _their numbers were decreasing mostly to an unknown sickness with no cure._  
  
 _The new folk- a passing nomadic clan were warmly welcomed, and touched by their hospitality, the new folk decided to remain in the kingdom to use their knowledge and skills in researching a cure for their hosts._  
  
 _Years passed and the natives took to a stone fortress in a corner of the kingdom for they seem to get strength from a large crystalline rock that burned a dual-toned flame. It was housed in its lower chambers._  
  
 _The leader of the new folk and his closest companions were the only ones to lay eyes upon the mystical rock of blue and red fire and it is said to have made them feel like the size of a human thumb._  
  
 _The presence of the new folk had not done much for discovering a cure but their leader did notice how the remaining tribesmen were perfectly healthy and that his own people began to fall ill instead.  The search into the tribe’s lands had unearthed some troubling facts._  
  
 _The mystical stone somehow powered the tribe giving them inhuman strength but in return, it consumed their life energy when its own powers began to wane._  
  
 _That apparently happened every century._  
  
 _When an old tribe dies… the crystal influences a new tribe; stumbling nomads like the new folk._  
  
 _The cycle then goes on… unless the tribe offers a sacrifice in return._  
  
 _Knowing that his own people were the new sacrifice the leader devised a plan to mass migrate to leave the old kingdom for his own populace had grown immensely over the years._  
  
 _That’s when he discovered a woman named Chiasa._  
  
 _She was the daughter of his closest friend and she had one day suddenly announced that she had married a young man from the tribe and was now with child._  
  
 _That wasn’t the only revelation. She had somehow developed inhuman abilities which included complete control of the crystal’s energy… healing the sick and reducing anyone hostile into mere ashes with a glance._  
  
 _The leader of the tribesman deduced that her condition could be the major reason for this anomaly. A child of one who was to be sacrificed and the other to be sustained had badly messed up the crystal’s energy equation._  
  
 _In other words… she had become the host for the crystal’s energy._  
  
 _Chiasa’s personality had begun to alter. She had become more hostile, suspicious… less compassionate for people and very protective of the crystal instead… whether it was the result of the pregnancy or the crystal had some power over her mind…_  
  
 _It got us to thinking… what if the crystal had a mind of its own? Or someday manage to claim the soul of a living body? That theory alone sounded terrifying._  
  
 _Chiasa and her child pushed both clans into a corner_ _._  
  
 _The new folks' leader had deduced that abandoning their new home in the weak state that his people were in was almost suicide… and he felt like he had a chance to claim the land for good now that he had Chiasa._  
  
 _So it happened… a brutal war that destroyed the kingdom._  
  
 _The crystal could not be involved since Chiasa went into hiding… it is said that her elderly parents and husband had smuggled her out when the signs of war began to show and when it erupted._  
  
 _Chiasa had apparently carved out chunks from either side of the crystal and kept it for herself. This event was to some degree mysterious and significant since upon our arrival… the crystal chamber that held the stone, records and a journal of Chiasa’s father was home to a large lump of dust and broken rock._  
  
 _It’s like Chiasa’s departure had destroyed the stone, with the only remnants being the two chunks she had taken._  
  
 _It's like the crystal's life force had moved with her._  
  
 _The records detailing the war don’t exist but our group, the Elder Sages, the council of the young King of the new kingdom have collected all we can from the ruins of the place and traced the family to a nearby village._  
  
 _It lay on the borders of a larger Kingdom named Valian._  
  
 _It is said that Chiasa died during childbirth. Almost as if the crystal’s power had taken the last of her life force and passed it onto the children._  
  
 _She had given birth to twin daughters._  
  
 _The crystal pieces had reacted to the cry of both girls immediately granting each a trait of difference._  
  
 _One had revealed her blue eyes and the other’s had turned scarlet._  
  
 _In her last moments during labor…_ Chiasa _had warned her husband._  
  
 _“Do not keep them together… they will kill each other… I made a mistake… that rock… I made a mistake.”_  
  
 _These were her exact words._  
  
 _Chiasa’s father had left behind another journal here._  
  
 _He assumed that dividing the crystal had made it like two ends of the earth that can never meet but exist perfectly in their own place… a bit like magnets with the same poles. The children had become the crystal’s bloodline but now since there were two crystals… both would fight to become the only one._  
  
 _The crystal pieces were made into trinkets for the girls. The brooches have since then disappeared from records._  
  
 _One daughter was taken back to the land of the old kingdom while the one with the scarlet eyes grew up with her grandparents in that remote village of Valian. Both seemed_ _completely normal._  
  
 _Our arrival at the location_   _of the old Kingdom happened a few decades later. King Toshio had us rest at a small market town a few miles from the ruins where he had met his future wife._  
  
 _Charmed by the vast lands of greenery and life… we began life as the people of Akatsuki not knowing that the crystal chamber lay below the site of our new castle or that the ruins of the old kingdom were buried underground where our new borders met Valian’s._  
  
Daiki shifted in his seat as he turned the page. The handwriting was different.  
  
 _It has been a few generations now. We shall continue off where our forefathers had left off. We have come to the conclusion that the woman King Toshio married was one of the crystal sisters. It has been a decade since we discovered that the crystal chamber has a glowing crystal with a blue hue… and it seems to have captured on a new life source. There are only select few… surprisingly mostly women who have been able to see them but a colony of earth sprites have taken to reside by the crystal, never leaving its side. It seems that some women are more sensitive to the crystal despite not having the bloodline. Maybe it’s Chiasa’s influence on the crystal._  
  
 _We call these individuals… guardians. Our brothers in Valian seem to like it with more flair… they suggested we call them knights instead._  
  
 _We have come to a hypothesis that the mineral that made the stone remained in that chamber after Chiasa’s departure… inactive. The presence of its bloodline within the castle… a Queen… could have prompted a new crystallization… echoes of her special traits…again this is a theory._  
  
 _The male princes of the family have shown nothing special for the crystal at all so far. How far the bloodline has spread… it will take a while to trace. But for now, only one family outside of the royals have someone from the bloodline._  
  
 _While we begin our quest to study the stone to benefit from it instead of becoming a victim of_ _it…. our brother sages stationed at Valian surprised us with the news of a red- hued crystal guarded by the royal family there._  
  
 _Fate works wonders…_  
  
 _It appears that halved from its original grandeur… the crystal had more humble demands as despite our harnessing of its energy… it took no lives in return._  
  
 _Almost as if it was waiting in silence… for something more…satisfying_  
  
 _We have reasons to believe that there will be a crystal child… one from each kingdom that will possess the perfect human strength to become the crystals in human form and it will be a pair so very in tune with each other that they will represent the two halves of the same crystal…_  
  
Daiki turned the page to arrive at the final entry written in a much more elegant scrawl. It didn’t feel as old as the other entries and the pages appeared to have been pasted to go along with the older entries. He looked up at the date and realized that it was penned around 18 years ago.  
  
 _The rumors about the birth of a child that elicits a reaction from both the crystals were confirmed by our brothers in Valian. The child though was left to his own fate as interfering with his life seems too sensitive an issue. We have stayed close to both royal families, for these bloodlines have shown to be irrevocably tied to the crystals from the very beginning._  
  
 _My own personals views are on the royal family of Akatsuki. Their will to keep ‘guardians’ close through marriage though intended to keep the crystal under control may just be their undoing. A line of young women have reigned as queens due to their sensitivity towards the crystal but this child in Valian, a male guardian, due to having_ blood _of both Kingdoms of the Crystals is the first to react to both. I have met him, with the privilege of being the only one to know about his dormant abilities and was surprised to see just how ordinary the boy is. He and his father have taken a new home in the kitchens of Akatsuki's own castle._  
  
 _A few days ago, the current royal family was blessed with a prince. Being the King’s personal mage, I was with His Majesty as he held his child for the first time. Having my lenses on, I was shocked to see winged creatures hovering protectively around the boy. Remembering the previous entries by my predecessors about how they believed that if the crystal had a mind of its own; it will become impossible to control, I was filled with both wonder and dread. It struck me as odd that the creatures that protected the crystal would be showing so much affection for this boy. Realization dawned upon me and I hypothesized that this child might be the prophesied Crystal Child._  
  
Daiki had to turn the page but there was nothing but random dates and scribbles that made no sense.  
  
“You haven’t touched your food,”  
  
Daiki jumped at the voice and looked up to spot Keito smiling down upon him. Aoi was scribbling with a quill behind him.  
  
He sighed and sniffed, realizing that he had been crying. A lot was going on in his head and he was terrified…

He was the male crystal guardian.   
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the crystal knife… the damned blade that Ryosuke had tried to use to end his life.  
  
“This was just a knife for Ryosuke… but for Yuto it’s the grim reaper,” he spoke softly. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Kouta and how his eyes turned hostile at the weapon.  
  
“They are planning to kill each other,” he continued and Keito frowned.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I’m suspecting you know the contents of this book and you also now understand that both Ryosuke and Yuto are descendants of Chiasa,”  
  
Kouta took a seat as Keito nodded.  
  
“Yuto is preparing an army for defense against Valian’s possible invasion… our scouts from Tsukino have sent us the reports,” Kouta spoke.  
  
“He intends to kill Ryosuke to protect his crystal… that includes Valian and its crystal,”  
  
“Yuto would never…,”  
  
“With all due respect My Lord… I watched the two promise each other a battle to the death… Ryosuke doesn’t plan on backing out either and if we don’t stop them… it’s the two kingdoms that will suffer through an unnecessary war and an inevitable end. This cycle won’t stop until only one crystal remains,”  
  
Keito was silenced by the harshness of Daiki’s voice. He had no idea the effort it had cost the older boy to even speak.  
  
“What do you propose?”  
  
“You let me deal with Ryosuke… and then be ready to take on an extremely powerful crystal Lord,”  
  
“I don’t want to hurt Yuto!” Kouta shouted getting to his feet. Daiki gave him a severe look.  
  
“I am volunteering to kill my own brother to destroy a parasite stone Kouta!” he responded, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up as well. Kouta’s eyes had gone really wide.  
  
“Yuto and Ryosuke are the crystal’s human embodiments… their mere presence will slowly turn their kingdoms into the ultimate sacrifices unless we end the reigns here. They both possess so much power it’s like the crystal has poured itself into their blood… their end will be the crystals’ end… to gain power… the crystal has also gained its biggest weakness… a living body…,”  
  
Keito had gotten to his knees. Daiki's voice had gotten rough.  
  
“I don’t want Ryosuke to die a mass murderer… I will not let the crystal taint his soul…,”  
  
Kouta’s lips had become a thin line, his eyes bloodshot. Daiki was trembling all over.  
  
“I already have a blade from Valian’s crystal, I’m going to have a blade forged from Akatsuki’s… you either help me or stay the hell out of my way.”

~*~


	42. Hostility

Yuto ran his fingers through his now-platinum locks. He nodded to his dresser as the man bowed and took his leave. He gazed upon the massive chamber, dimly lit by the parting in the heavy curtains of the large bay window. It had a cozy sitting area with cushions and it was where his mother used to read him stories until he fell asleep in her arms as a child.  
  
He strode over to the dresser and softly stroked her jewelry box. He had taken to staying in his parent’s bedroom for a while now. Their clothes and other possessions had been left untouched. He had given strict orders to his staff to keep it that way.  
  
Opening the jewelry box he picked up his brooch, the stone beginning to glow upon his touch as he clipped it on.  
  
He looked up into the mirror, into his eyes that reflected a storm.  
  
He felt so… alone.  
  
“You lied to me… Chika,”  
  
The sprite alighted upon the jewelry box; hands held together, head hung low.  
  
“You really had me thinking you were dead,”  
  
‘I needed to pass on my duties to Tokio…,’  
  
“Don’t look so scared, I’m glad you are alright,”  
  
Yuto had meant that.

Chika had been a dear friend… his secret keeper, his scout, his source of reassurance in the most troubled of times. She had stayed close when he had begun to transform, whispering words of encouragement.  
  
The same sprite though had been guiding a group of rebels against his family. She had given the Sages the prophecy of the crystal child through the mage who owned the crystal lenses… the pair that now belonged to his cousin’s mage… Aoi.  
  
“Why do you all pretend to love me… only to be planning my death in secret?” he asked with a frown climbing onto the window seat and peeking out into the castle grounds where his soldiers were getting briefed about the planned invasion of Valian.  
  
“Did you help Miura kill my parents?”  
  
‘NO! My King, we did not interfere in that battle… it was solely the Sages acting rashly out of sheer panic… you had come of age and that had not been their plan… they wanted to have you killed when you were still young and vulnerable and unable to use your powers,’  
  
“I survived the poisoning,”  
  
‘The crystal had been healing you… also… I use to watch Kouta throw away half the poison he was given to feed you… you had his sympathy,’  
  
“Not anymore…,”  
  
‘We still care about you… but my clan had been sustaining the crystal for too long, we do not grow in numbers nor do we die out, we don’t fall sick nor are we healthy… we are stuck in what some of you humans call limbo… when you were born… we knew instantly… you were our salvation… you could either give the crystal a new sacrifice or end the crystal’s reign with your death… we know what happened to your ancestor and how the crystal reacted when she died… you are the last of the bloodline,’  
  
“So either way… if I win, I could free you and if I die… the others free you… I admire your optimism but I am not the last of the bloodline,”  
  
‘Yes, there are two more…,’  
  
Yuto stared at her bewildered.  
  
“Two?”  
  
He got to his feet, remembering the boy he had seen in his dream… lurking behind the fountain as he and Ryosuke talked.  
  
“Daiki?”  
  
‘Yes, he is related to you from your mother’s side, your mother… a non-royal but a distant relative of your father the King had a brother who married and had a child with the princess of Valian, Ryosuke’s mother…,’  
  
Yuto was scowling as he waved a finger in the air, as if drawing an invisible family tree.  
  
“So, Daiki’s my cousin?”  
  
‘Yes, not a very public opinion, but a fact nonetheless,’  
  
Yuto slumped his shoulders, silently playing with his fingers.  
  
He wondered if Daiki knew… the thought made him smile.  
  
“So, Ryosuke, Daiki and I could have grown up like brothers but… you… and those Sages… you’ve gotten us going at each other,”  
  
‘You would have turned against each other anyway my King, it’s the crystal’s nature… you may deny it but it reflects your deepest desire to outshine each other… you and the crystal are one,’  
  
Yuto turned away from her, conflicted.  
  
 _Daiki_ … this was actually troubling.  
  
“So, Daiki and Ryosuke will be joining forces against me,”  
  
‘Ryosuke is too proud to seek help, he wants to defeat you with his own strength… the brothers are no longer allies… Daiki is responsible for that.’  
  
“Wait… but… they were so close… I can’t imagine…,”  
  
Yuto’s heart squeezed painfully at the thought… that would explain why Ryosuke had looked so desperate… so… **_broken_**.  
  
“I don’t need your sympathy,”  
  
Yuto’s head turned to where Ryosuke was sprawled on his carpet, scarlet eyes boring into his. Chika seemed to be confused at his shift in attention. It was only him who could see his 'crystal twin'.  
  
He actually had an established telepathic connection with someone… how cool was that?  
  
Ryosuke rolled his eyes at his thoughts.  
  
“He’s coming for you,” Yuto spoke, falling into the comfort of the cushions behind him.  
  
Ryosuke smirked, amused.  
  
“I have my father’s arsenal posed and ready for any minor distraction at the snap of my fingers,”  
  
“So Daiki is a distraction now?”  
  
“Yeah… and you’re a pain in the-,”  
  
“I’m ready too,”  
  
Ryosuke stiffened, mouth a thin line as Yuto stretched.  
  
“I will not die… I won’t let you consume me, it will not be Akatsuki that becomes the new sacrifice… but you and your worthless country,”  
  
Ryosuke’s eyes flashed anger and hostility and Yuto felt a rush of adrenaline at the way the smaller male curled his fingers, black nails ripping the fabric.  
  
“I will rip you apart with my own hands Yuto… just you wait and see,”  
  
“Oh really,” the king chuckled, thoroughly amused.  
  
“Such compassion for a kingdom that has treated you like shit huh? Ryosuke that’s pathetic,”  
  
“I don’t care about anyone you spoiled brat,” the other spat venomously, pupils pulled close like slits.  
  
“I would rather die than to lose to the likes of you… that Kingdom is lucky that it has become my ego… they deserves no better.”

  
~*~

  
“Ryosuke!”  
  
Scarlet eyes widened as he realized he had his knight pinned on the marble floor, hands around his throat.  
  
He scrambled back quickly, allowing the younger man to breathe.  
  
“I’m… I’m sorry… I don’t remember-”  
  
“Attacking me?  Yeah… so you don’t remember talking to yourself either huh?”  
  
Ryutaro blinked at the way Ryosuke held himself, eyes shut tight and breath coming in gasps like he was trying his hardest to control himself.  
  
“Are you… are you-,”  
  
“Are the troops ready?” Ryosuke snapped getting to his feet, the shivering, fragile child in him gone in an instant. He walked over to the throne and sat upon it, fingers running over the material.  
  
“They are… your men are ready to march into Akatsuki… but that other group… the black magicians…,”  
  
“Sinister sages?”  
  
“They are not the sages… just idiots who found a fancy name in the history books and decided to steal-,”  
  
“We are ready your highness, we will protect you with our lives,” spoke an authoritative man by the grand doors.  
  
Ryosuke scrutinized the red hoods and robes and the black skull emblem on their backs and smirked. He snapped his fingers and the red in his eyes intensified. Ryutaro paled as one of the magicians vanished into dust, his robe falling onto the floor. The group dispersed; terrified whimpers and cries of shock silenced immediately as Ryosuke posed his fingers for another snap.  
  
“Let me make it clear to you, I don’t need to be protected… what I need is for you to follow my every command no matter what it is, understood!”  
  
“Ye...yes your excellency,”  
  
“Good, now back to your stations… we are expecting company.”  
  
Ryutaro waited until the last of the magicians had exited the throne hall before walking over to his King who watched him approach with cautious eyes.  
  
The sound of a tight slap echoed in the hall.  
  
Ryosuke glared up at his retainer who didn’t even flinch at the murderous glare nor the red on his King’s pale cheek.  
  
“How dare you!”  
  
“Since when have you been able to take a life so easily huh Ryosuke?”  
  
Ryosuke just watched the boy turn his back to him and stomp away in complete disbelief, both at Ryutaro's boldness and his own inability to respond.  
  
As soon as the doors shut and he was alone, he let out a miserable scream.

  
~*~


	43. Valian’s Red Star

There was dust in the air and the breeze that blew through the streets was chilly. The city itself though was glowing with the reddish-gold hue of the mystical lamps… it felt like a soul on fire against the dark, dark sky.  
  
There was fear everywhere. People were hiding in their homes, in cellars and basements, in town halls and encampments… anywhere but the path of the Kingdom’s army. There had been chaos upon the death of their self-proclaimed Monarch but the news of his youngest son (the demon child) becoming the new King had sent a wave of terror through the nation. Lives had been stilled; it was as if the entire country had been stunned into silence… a disciplined obedience. They only knew that he was sending off his soldiers to protect the Kingdom from a threat beyond the borders.  
  
What he planned to do once his Kingdom was safe… it was another issue.  
  
Some were optimistic. They claimed that the young King could be a powerful leader… he may use his powers to protect the nation.  
  
Others were wary of his potential in becoming a ruthless dictator.  
  
They had shunned him from the very beginning after all.  
  
The possibility of him harboring some kind of patriotic affection was wishful thinking… but maybe he was just trying to prove them wrong all along.  
  
The soldiers had long begun their march; their armors clanking in a mechanical synchrony. They had a powerful young King… they had seen his magnificent black wings and his intense blood-red eyes and had felt their insides curl in fear at the way he had looked down at them, as if meeting the gaze of each and every man he was sending to war. It was unnerving; it felt like he could see through their armor, right at their souls. It was if he understood their distrust of him, their fear and caution and he had addressed it… calling those feelings mere emotions that are not worth the pride and safety of Valian.  
  
He had made his point… he cared not for their judgment but he knew that no man in his army would sit around and wait to be invaded… or worse eradicated by a neighboring nation.    
  
And so they marched on, through the streets of the capital city and every passing village until they arrived at the border… wary eyes upon the horizon where the shadows of another country loomed, bathed in a moonlight- kind of hue.  
  
It was there that they were halted by a small company of hooded figures on horses. Their commander would have cut right through those he presumed to be a band of highway robbers when the leader of the horsemen removed his hood.  
  
Prince Zach had been one of them once after all.

~*~

  
Ryutaro had found a nice quiet corner in an empty room to curl up and cry. He was not a child… at least he didn’t consider himself as one but the way Ryosuke had claimed a life right in front of his very eyes made him nauseous. He knew what the crystal was capable off… it needed the life-source of men to sustain itself. Ryosuke’s father had spoken of it in a hushed whisper… of how he planned to offer convicted criminals and people with terminal illnesses as sacrifice in return for its energy. His ideas had not set well with his eldest son and his followers and thus the rebellion.  
  
Then Ryosuke… when the idea that the crystal would have a living vessel with a mind that could be manipulated by people more clever than he… the foolish King had been ecstatic; happier to have a new political advantage than a new son.  
  
It’s not like he couldn’t have loved his son… the fact that Ryosuke was a human being had always been overshadowed by the fact that he was the Crystal child. In the eyes of his father Ryosuke had always been a shining star… the ultimate weapon. He may have been raised like a pampered, spoiled but exceptionally obedient prince if he hadn’t been whisked away the day he was born.  
  
The rebels had wanted him dead… they wanted the idea of such a weapon gone. They kept the knowledge a secret and became the outlaws… the villains that wanted to kill an innocent child for a minority and the heroes that hunted a demon for the rest.  
  
For Ryutaro, a child gifted with abilities at the expense of his own life-span, Ryosuke was a salvation. The angsty teenager could subdue the harsh effects of Ryutaro’s use of the crystal’s energy and Ryutaro could remain a gifted, important person… a Knight. He wanted to make his parent’s proud and this was his best way.  
  
He had felt it… the rush of energy, the satisfaction that only comes from a good night’s sleep when that magician had died and it made him want to vomit. Ryosuke had done it for him, he had collapsed in front of the king a couple of times since their first meeting and Ryosuke had understood why only recently.  
  
He didn’t want it. He didn’t want to live on the expense of someone else’s life no matter who that person was. But he didn’t know what to do… the crystal was a poison and coupled with his own pride it was slowly killing him but then… Ryosuke… the sad lonely child hiding behind the façade of a young man with the cold red eyes had become as precious to him as his own life. He had watched him break and break and break again before getting back on his feet. He had seen him struggle with himself, seen him caring for people that regarded him with fear, hate and contempt… had seen him smile at him like he was the only family he had left and that there was nobody else he trusted anymore but him.  
  
But that’s where the problem lay. Ryosuke wasn’t the _crystal child_ … he was not the vessel.  
  
 ** _He was the crystal itself... the very thing that was killing him._**  
  
If anyone else understood this… he did not know nor care anymore.  
  
He jumped at the harsh rapping on his door. Wiping his face he crossed the room in long strides and threw the door open, startling the messenger outside.  
  
“What is it?” he spoke, more harshly than intended.  
  
“There is a small company, requesting the King’s audience… they say they have vital information about Akatsuki,”  
  
Ryutaro frowned.  
  
“Take me to them,”  
  
He gasped, a sudden chill running down his spine. The lamps began to roar as the aforementioned company arrived in the hallway… 5 figures in black robes. The messenger collapsed to the ground and Ryutaro clutched himself as he felt all the energy draining from his body, making him lightheaded. His body had gone stiff in a terrifying full-body paralysis. His darkening vision automatically fell upon the central figure of the group… whose hand was held up towards him, eyes glowing emerald from beneath the hood.  
  
“Who… who are you?” he gasped as crystals began to grow from the walls forming a cocoon of sorts around him.  
  
Daiki threw back his hood, revealing his glowing eyes and Ryutaro opened his mouth… words barely a whisper before his being was frozen in the black crystal cocoon.  
  
“Don’t… hurt him.”

~*~


	44. Putting out the Flames

_“Dai-chan we saw a black unicorn,”_

_“Yeah it had a golden horn… and it spoke to us!”_

_“Have u guys been nicking the forbidden pastries again? I told you those are only for grown-ups! They make you feel funny so don’t eat em!”_

_“We don’t eat them… they taste bitter and too strong… one bite made Yuto vomit,”_

_“I didn’t vomit… I spit it out because it was yucky!”_

_“Wait Dai-chan… how did you know they make us feel funny?”_

_“That’s beside the point,”_

_“But really we did see a unicorn,”_

_“I’ve lived here longer than you guys, how come I’ve never seen one?”_

_“How have you lived here longer than Yuto?”_

_“He’s older than us Ryo-chan… I mean Duh!”_

_“Oh… ye-yeah I knew that!”_

_“Guys be quiet I want to sleep…,”_

_“But… that’s boring,”_

_“Snore…,”_

_“What the hell? Yuto’s already asleep… ugh get off me you big baby… Dai-chan his big head is crushing my shoulder!”_

_“Let the prince rest… here you can crush my shoulder,”_

_“Eww no way,”_

_“Haha… then stay awake and wake us up in a bit… don’t want the prince catching a cold or Kouta finding us sleeping in the garden…,”_

_“What do I do till then?”_

_“Count the stars… *yawns*,”_

_“Dai-chan… Dai-chan… Yuto-kun!”_

_The 10 year old pouted as he turned his head right and left, both his companions were snoring softly now. Yuto’s head was on his shoulder and he had an almost death-grip around his arm while Dai-chan had turned to sleep while facing him. The night sky was beautiful… and Ryosuke had to admit that besides being extremely comfortable on soft grass in the floral scented gardens on a starry summer night, having a devoted older brother and a loving best friend on either side made him feel extremely at peace… that in itself was a rare feeling. He was afraid of losing this the most._

   
~*~

  
“What do you mean they have encountered difficulties leaving the border?”

 

Totsuka, the king’s advisor cowered under the furious gaze of his Monarch. With bated breath he waited as Yuto began pacing the room.

“The… the elven King is leading his battalion, they have blocked the way of our men and are demanding for them to turn back”

“What the hell is Yuri doing? This is downright violation of our rights… he can’t just force my men to abandon their mission… this is our war damn it!”

“What- what is your order my liege?”

Yuto stopped pacing, trying to take deep breaths to calm the anger bubbling inside of him. It wasn’t working… he never thought he would feel so much hatred for his younger friend. It was probably just his anger… and the humiliation at the test of his power.

“I’ll deal with this myself,” he spoke decidedly, taking long strides towards the large window. He threw it open and felt the air on his face. His army was at a standstill after leaving a village by the border… who knows where Ryosuke’s men must be by now. He had no time to waste.

“Take our fastest horse and meet me at the border gates of Yoshino Village,”

“Ye-yes my-,”

Yuto didn’t wait for Totsuka to finish his sentence.

 

~*~

  
“Well look who finally decided to show up,”

 

Daiki had walked into the hall with renewed vigor. His teammates and him had managed to get past the guards unharmed except maybe for Yuma who had a slight limp in his step now. The fact that a group of youngsters he had just met a while back were now standing by his side; in the face of most probable death gave him determination. There was no turning back.

His mouth dried instantly though as he laid his eyes upon what used to be his younger brother. He heard multiple gasps and Yuma had grabbed Fuma’s shoulder for support.

The King’s lithe figure comfortably occupied the stone throne, boots dangling off the edge. His massive wings were spread out around him and the feathers were a shiny, soft jet black, matching the many roses on the walls. He had spoken his words with a small smile on his blood red lips, eyes closed shut, head resting on folded arms.

“Ryosuke…,” Daiki had barely whispered but the glare those red eyes fixed him with sent a chill down his spine.

“Why are you here? Of all times to come… why now?”

The tone was calm, even curious but his eyes were ablaze with hatred.

Daiki took a shuddering gasp. Did he do this to his brother? If Ryosuke had remained with him, safe in their little bakery would this have happened to him?

“I’m… I’m here to talk some sense into you… I… I left you here because your father promised to protect you from what I couldn’t… I had a reason… I rather we separated than me let someone come and hurt you,”

There was an eerie silence following his words and it took a good two minutes for Daiki to realize he was holding his breath.

“Ahh, I see… well that makes sense,” Ryosuke responded flatly, returning to closing his eyes.

“So big brother… what made you change your mind?”

“Ab… about what?”

They all took a step back as Ryosuke lifted himself off the chair and landed a few feet from where they stood with the flap of his majestic wings.

“First you wanted me safe… but now you want me dead?”

Daiki jumped as Fuma and Kento both yelped, thorny fleshy vines grabbing them by a leg each and pulling them up to hang like bats from the ceiling. The rest of the boys scattered around, breaking the close formation they had entered with.

Ryosuke narrowed his eyes as his attempts to disintegrate both his victims failed and widened his eyes at the large round stones around their necks, glowing green.

He stared at his older brother, his emerald eyes showing disbelief at his attempt to kill his team mates.

“So, you can negate my powers huh?”

“It seems so,” Daiki replied, his face getting stern.

Ryosuke smirked.

“I can always… drop them you know…,”

And to prove his point he let them fall a few feet before grabbing them again. Daiki raised his hands as Yuma raised his gun. Marius and So drew a blade each, the green glowing brooches shining upon their chests.

“Let them go… this is just between you and me,”

“Why bring them then?”

“We insisted,” was Yuma’s shaky reply.

“Leave, all of you,” Daiki said sternly. He jumped as Ryosuke swung the two boys around in the air, an amused smile on his face, before flinging them towards the remaining team mates; leaving a groaning tangle of limbs behind Daiki.

“LEAVE NOW,” Daiki urged harshly as the boys showed hesitancy in leaving him alone. Ryosuke was no longer the ghost-fearing, insecure litle boy he once knew.

“Dai-chan?” Yuma started and Ryosuke’s eyes narrowed in annoyance at the use of the nickname.

“Stick to the plan,” Daiki responded without a backward glance. Ryosuke did not fail to notice the concerned glances of the boys before they left the hall, leaving him alone with his brother.

“Plan?” Ryosuke snorted walking backwards with hands behind his back. He had an amused smile on his lips. Daiki didn’t fail to notice, at his full height, Ryosuke was now slightly taller than him.

“Look at my little older brother, going from cupcake recipes to rebelling against a king, my my won’t your pastry chef father be proud if he were here right now,”

Daiki felt a pulse at his temple.

“Don’t bring my father into this,”

“Why not? You definitely get your courage from him… deceiving a princess into marriage… he sure always thought a little out of his league didn’t he,”

“Shut up, what do you know about my parents?”

Ryosuke’s smile faltered and Daiki felt something weird stirring in his chest as the boy watched him silently. Daiki let out a yelp as piercing pain ripped through his back.

“Wha…,”

He collapsed onto his knees, feeling his legs weaken. With shaky hands he felt his back and his fingers came across thick needle-like thorns, implanted into his flesh.

Ryosuke was watching him sideways, eyes misty.

“I can’t let you kill me yet… Dai-chan,”

Daiki held up his hand, green eyes glowing as a protective sphere appeared around him just as a hail of thorns shot towards him from all directions. Ryosuke kept watching as he struggled onto his feet, feeling as if he would collapse from the pain. Ryosuke then created a fire atop his palm and threw it, as it were a ball and widened his eyes as Daiki caught it, the flame taking a greenish hue.

“I was meant to be your opponent from the start Ryosuke,” he said, stumbling out of his sphere as the thorns were now spindles on the floor. Ryosuke picked one up and it morphed into a large crystal blade.

“So like you to make me work,” he spoke, a little annoyed and lashed out, swiping out at the older boy’s shoulder. Daiki ducked, every movement making him sweat more. The pain had dulled but his legs felt like jelly. Ryosuke flapped his massive wings and rose into the air, the pressure change making Daiki stumble onto the floor. In reflex he threw the flame into the air. Ryosuke raised a hand to block it but Daiki was quicker. To the younger’s surprise the ball of flame burst into tiny flares and stuck to Ryosuke’s wings like leaches.

The younger boy screamed as the flames grew, waving his wings and thrashing about but the green-hued flames were stubborn and aggressive, spreading like a disease. Ryosuke headed for the large fountain, crashing into the water.

Daiki watched with bated breath as the fountain was covered with smoke. His nose prickled, it smelled like burning flora. As the smoke cleared, he got to his feet with a grimace but felt the hair at the back of his neck stand. He turned around quickly only to come face to face with an even more terrifying image. Ryosuke’s eyes were so black and the pupil’s now a sickle-shape so red it could have been blood. Bluish veins were visible branching all over his pale face. Daiki gasped as the ‘creature’ before him grabbed his neck in a death grip, squeezing the life out of him.

“Ryosuke…,” he chocked, flailing aimlessly. He could feel his lungs screaming for air.

“Why can’t you stop hurting me?” the other asked, his voice more of a hiss than anything else. The whole room had begun to glow red and Daiki felt as if the life was being sucked out of him. His eyes rolled into his head and the last thing he could think about was the crystal blade he had crafted tucked in his belt.

Daiki felt all restraints disappear as he was dropped to the floor. He panted, gulping air as if he had been thirsty for days. The red glow had subsided and the hall had become eerily quiet. The roses of the ceiling and the walls began shedding, raining down petals.

He looked up fearfully and watched how Ryosuke’s hair had returned to the dark-brown shade he used to sport and honey-brown eyes staring at the blade sticking out from the center of his chest.

He shifted a teary gaze towards Daiki’s own and called out in a small trembling voice;

“Ni-chan…,”

Daiki lunged forward to catch him as he collapsed, cradling him in his arms.

“Ryo… Ryosuke?”

Ryosuke had started crying, tugging at the blade weakly. The blade was glowing green and Ryosuke had began to whimper.

“It hurts… pull it out… please pull it out it hurts so bad,”

Daiki struggled to pull the weapon out, placing his sibling in his lap. The blade was lodged in, as if cemented in stone.

“I’m sorry… I’m trying… I really am trying,” Daiki cried out, feeling his eyes grow hot and his vision blurry.

_What’s done is done… some damages are impossible to undo…_

Daiki widened his eyes at the jet black horse-like creature with its golden horn, looking down at the two of them amidst the raining petals.

_All that he has built will collapse… this hall included… the castle has been evacuated… like you’ve planned…_

“I’m not leaving him,” Daiki replied determined. The creature shook his head and materialized into thin air.

“Dai-chan?”

He looked down at the pale face of his brother and felt as if he had been stabbed by the knife instead.

“I can see them, all the stars!" he spoke, his eyes hazy. Daiki looked up and saw the image of a clear sky where the ceiling should have been. He smiled, tears staining his face.

"Is it true?"

He looked back down to his brother, fingers running through his sweat-drenched hair.

"What is?"

"You won’t leave?” he asked weakly, hopefully, hands limp by his sides.

Daiki gathered him in his arms, planting a loving kiss on his forehead before placing him gently on the ground made soft by the flowers. He lay down next to the boy, stroking his hair as his brother's eyes finally fell shut.

“No I won’t leave you… never again.”

 

~*~

  
Yuma ushered the last of the castle staff into his father’s Inn spotting Lady Ayane by the door, anxiously eyeing Zach cantering by on his horse, heading towards the castle. Zach brought his steed to a halt at the tremble in the ground and watched in horror as first the lamps exploded and then the entire castle began to collapse… being reduced to rubble on the hill within minutes.

 

He could hear screams and shouting all around him but it was all a buzz. There was a massive cloud of dust rolling towards them but he stood his ground. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. He wasn’t expecting the castle to collapse…

“Daiki?”

 

~*~


	45. Final Confrontation

 

The golden orb of the late day sky branded the horizon with a fiery red. The moving patches of storm clouds threw shadows upon the battle taking place upon the plains; an army of Akatsuki’s best men against the otherwise gentle elves. The side in silver and steel clashed with the green robes and gold-hilted swords of the elven folk. The ancient people though seemed to be showing more restraint than the ambition-driven humans… one side wanting to quell the thirst for war and the other to march over any and all obstacles to fulfil their King’s goals.

The ongoing battle was under the observation of the rebel group, smaller in comparison to what they started out as… the mighty Sages now reduced to a handful of men and women, more scholars than fighters, their resolve strengthened only by the presence of the Elven King whose timely aid had taken care of Akatsuki’s unrelenting advances towards Valian. The company stood atop a plateau overlooking the plains with a handful of the elven king’s best men.

A black pigeon that Kouta recognized as belonging to Zach had brought a message from its owner. The forces of Valian had been subdued. Their King… Ryosuke… everyone’s little brother… was now no more.

With a sigh he adjusted the reins of his horse and looked over his shoulder to where the young elven king stood, a stern expression set in his youthful features. He had listened to their story with the utmost attention and patience and had taken minutes to round up only a portion of his own battalion to come to their aid.

 _‘I have to stop this war… for Yuto’s sake and for the sake of maintaining stability to our entire region’_ he had said. His magnificent battalion; all clad in lightweight armor and green robes looked as intimidating as they did elegant and the small group of rebels leading them… Kouta included, appeared shabby and insignificant in comparison.

He reached into his robe and felt the blade Daiki had entrusted him with hidden there. It felt warm to the touch. He frowned. It had been cool when he had first pocketed it. He looked to his side and saw Yuya, Hikaru and Aoi standing in a protective semi-circle around Keito. That foolish but kind boy…

Everybody had urged him to stay behind… he was after all… the next in line to the throne whether he was willing or not. He had argued tearfully that he needed to knock some sense into his beloved cousin… he believed Yuto had the inner strength to defeat the crystal himself.

“Kouta… is this all of Akatsuki’s soldiers?”

Kouta was startled out of his reverie by the elf Kazuya, Kei trailing close behind.

“I believe so… the rest are posted elsewhere… Yuto probably didn’t want the war at the border to affect the kingdom’s security,”

“He’s a good king,”

Kouta sighed. Yuto was a very good king… but hell bent on the ultimate destruction of the country he so viciously was protecting. What he did, was for the survival of the crystal and when the time comes, the kingdom will not matter to him.

 “Wait… what’s that up in the sky?”

Kouta glanced at where Kei was pointing and narrowed his eyes at the blot in the sky. Kei probably saw a more distinct shape with his sharper ‘elven’ vision.

“What does it look like?” he asked. It was growing larger slowly… like it was drawing closer to the ground.

“I see wings… great white wings.”  


~*~

  
 _Yuto was confused, he hadn't seen this type of expression on the other boy before... his lips were pale and squeezed shut and he bore an indifferent facade though Yuto knew better... his deep brown eyes spoke volumes..._

 _"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, looking from where he sat on the grass. The only sound was of the fountain behind him._

 _He had been on his way to Akatsuki’s border when he had felt a tug and a pull before waking up at this ‘secret garden’ he shared with Ryosuke._

 _The said boy began moving from where he had been standing, leaning against a hedge. He was dressed in a black loose fitting outfit, fingers poking out of the long sleeves but had no shoes on, the edges of his feet rimmed with dried blood._

 _The black made him look even paler, enhancing the greenish veins around his neck._

 _Ryosuke tugged up an attempted smile but it came out as a scowl instead. He dropped to his knees carefully before crawling towards him as if walking took too much energy._

 _He stopped close enough for their knees to touch before uttering in a hoarse voice;_

 _“I have to go now,”_

 _“Huh? Where?”_

 _“This place… looks like a maze for a reason… but Yuto, I found a way out,”_

 _“What? Then wait… take me with you!”_

 _Ryosuke shook his head._

 _“You can’t leave this place yet… but you will someday,”_

 _He swayed as he stood back up, Yuto holding out his arms almost instinctively._

 _Ryosuke looked terrible, like a man on the brink of death._

 _'l’ll be waiting... for you, as long as it takes… okay?”_

 _Yuto blinked, nodding dumbly._

 _“I really… don’t want to fight with you… if I had a choice I would never have even considered it,” he spoke softly before he could help himself.It was the truth after all. Ryosuke had been a very nice part of his childhood… and had been a loyal and caring friend._

 _He’d always felt Ryosuke was different somehow; in comparison to everyone else he knew… maybe both had felt a mutual connection due to their shared destiny and nature of existence.Like twins separated at birth or something like that._

 _Ryosuke smiled amusedly, as if reading his thoughts before patting his head in the most affectionate manner Yuto had ever witnessed from  
the older boy. Ryosuke had never been openly affectionate after all._

 _Yuto frowned as the older boy suddenly closed his eyes real tight, a hand reaching out to clutch the center of his chest._

 _“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”_

 _Ryosuke forced his eyes open but they rolled back into his head as he began to fall._

 _It was as if time had slowed down and Yuto watched with horror as cracks appeared on the boy’s face as if he were made of clay and as he fell upon him he disintegrated into black, glittering sand._

 _Yuto watched with horror as the sand slipped off him and through his fingers… feeling as if he had been trying to hold the ashes of his childhood friend._

 _His throat constricted a severe pain rising from within him before it exploded into screams._

He felt his body as it impacted the ground, felt how he caused the earth to sink under the force- saw, smelled and tasted the displaced dirt but felt no physical pain. His wings had protectively wrapped around him as he had plummeted and as he began to push himself up, he noticed that while the wing on his right was still white the one on the left had adopted a magnificent shade of jet black.

He felt the brooch on his robe and fingered the black wing attached to the white as if it had been a complete piece from the beginning and not a pair.

 ** _Just like him._**  


~*~

  
Kouta knew he wasn’t the only one petrified as the figure stood his full height, magnificent wings twice his size unfurling to their maximum extent. He now had black strips of hair amongst the white and one of his eyes was all black with a red pupil.

“The power of both pieces of the crystal… in one,”  


~*~

  
Yuto observed the rebel group, eyes skimming over his cousin and his pathetic posse… then Kouta, upon whom his gaze lingered a little longer than it should before finally coming to rest on Yuri who looked more upset than terrified like the rest of the lot.

He felt a smirk tug at his lips as he took in the sight before him. Yuri had brought a mighty army. He could hear the fighting behind him on the plains.

He had also brought along his most loyal protectors… Kei and Kazuya who stood on either side of him, faces an emotionless mask.

He felt something inside him stir.

He sensed the disturbance in his own group behind him and tsk-ed in annoyance. His showy landing and outlandish appearance might have distracted his men a bit. He found no reason to turn and admonish the lack of discipline as fighting had resumed almost instantly.

 “Yuto!”

He matched the elven king’s determined glare and folded his arms.

“Yes Yuri?”

“What has happened to you?”

“I would ask the same of you, wasn’t it your policy to not interfere in the affairs of other kingdoms? What happens between Akatsuki and Valian is of no consequence to you or your people,”

Yuri kept his gaze upon him unwavering before finally sighing.

“What happens to you is of great consequence… not only to me but to all these people standing before you… behind you,”

Yuri gestured to the rebel group… to Keito, Aoi, Hikaru, Yuya… to Kouta.

Yuto placed a hand on his chest. It felt so empty. These faces, he knew them… and within the far reaches of his being laid great affection for each.  
He had memories of those feelings but that’s all it was…. memories. For now, he felt nothing except for a very strong desire to survive.

He was the last of the line… and he had to survive. It was the only thing to justify the sacrifices of his family… of Ryosuke.

These Kingdoms… the original residents knew what they were getting themselves into when they decide to harness the crystal’s power instead of destroying it. They had knowingly opted to sacrifice the future generation for their present comfort.

He was just closing the deal.

“Yuto,” Keito began; a tremble to his voice.

Yuto ignored him and pointed a long slender finger at Yuri.

“I’m giving you one last warning,” he began.

The company jumped in shock as the unsuspecting Yuya tumbled onto the ground, angry red patches of his skin smoking as if burnt by the sun. His screams of pain gripped the group in horror.

“Yuto please stop it!”

“Kouta the stone pendants aren’t working!” Hikaru yelled as Yuya writhed in his arms.

“Remember the shooting range… the one you wouldn’t let me near as a kid?” Yuto spoke to Kouta, a playful smirk in place.

Kouta’s eyes widened as the final line of Akatsuki’s soldiers withdrew bayonets and began to fire, the sudden attack resounding in the air as loud bangs and suddenly there was the smell of blood and gun powder all around.

Yuri reeled backwards instinctively, the rebels not prepared for such a direct fatal assault. Yuto felt a satisfaction at the panic in his usually composed friend’s face. Yuri was backed with a small group of his soldiers who aimed their arrows at Yuto, awaiting orders.

“YUYA!”

Aoi had quickly conjured a protective ward around her master as Hikaru shook his friend and partner’s now limp body.

Kouta felt something hit him at the cold indifference in Yuto’s eyes as Hikaru lay Yuya’s lifeless form onto the ground and stood his full height, pulling out his blade.

Yuri’s men and the remaining rebels did the same and then spread out, a formation Yuto was not familiar with. His eyes narrowed at the strange tinge of the blades… their weapons were coated with something that he could tell would harm him.

He laughed, spreading his wings and lifted himself a few feet from the ground. He deflected all projectiles aimed at him with a few swipes of his arm and at a single command produced large thorny vines from the ground, its roses dark as the darkest night and attempted to trap both Yuri and Keito in makeshift cages. Aoi was skilled with fire magic, burning through the snake-like things while Kei was quick with his dual blades, slicing through the vines tirelessly as Kazuya evaded them and weapon drawn, leaped higher than a human could have been capable of. Yuto prepared to block but was surprised as Kazuya dropped his blade instead and spun like an approaching torpedo, arms reaching out towards him.

Closing his wings Yuto regained the speed that his appendages robbed him off and plummeted closer to the ground. Deflecting a barrage of arrows he conjured up more vines to block Kei who was heading towards him with such inhuman speed and agility that it took more of his attention than he was planning. Kei lunged towards him as he landed and pushed open his wings… the force of the action causing Kei to be hurled backwards against the thorny vines. Yuto rolled his eyes as he realized the two quick elves had caused him to create a cage of his own vines around himself.

He looked up just in time and grabbed the collar of Kazuya who had followed him down and as if time had slowed he watched with a frown as the images in his eyes, that had made his previous victims in the castle to die of fright made Kazuya smile sadly before his entire suspended form turned to pale white stone.

Kei’s look was one of shock that despite being impaled with a blade-like thorn he watched his mentor and comrade be thrown against the makeshift walls of the thorny cage and crumble into sand.

Yuri and Keito had shot fiery arrows each, signaling stage two of their plan to another battalion that had been laying low behind them just as Kei and  
Kazuya had made their advance and as the cage around Yuto had been formed, arrowheads forged with Daiki's crystal had been shot, landing on as much flesh of the vines as was visible.

The cage now emitted weakening waves for its captive.

An arrow had slipped in through the cracks and had hit Yuto’s white wing and the pain was unbearable… Yuto felt as if a blade had been passed through his arm.

Another arrow came from somewhere ahead, its speed cutting through the vines and striking his second wing.

Yuri threw his bow to the ground. Hikaru, bloodied face and with a limp in his right leg had grabbed Keito and was dragging him as far away from the little dome of roses and thorns and the fighting down in the plains.

He wasn’t planning on looking back.

Kouta had all the time in the world.

Yuto fumbled with his large wings, sweat building on his forehead as he attempted to pull the arrows out.

It seemed like Yuri had shot both. From their time at the academy, Yuri hadn’t always been the best marksmen… but his arrows had terrifying speed… enough to break through the targets. Now they were firmly implanted in his flesh, the pain causing a poisonous weakness to spread through the extensions of his body.

The cage may have trapped him… but for now, he was also protected… provided Yuri didn’t continue shooting further.

“Yuto,”

He turned around, angry for not noticing Kouta standing right behind him, hands in his pockets.

“I’ll kill you…,” he growled as he released his hold on his wings, feeling them heavy on his sides.

“You can’t… I’m the only one you can’t kill,”

Yuto frowned backing away… his senses were on hyperdrive… he could hear Kei’s harsh breathing from behind him and something about Kouta didn’t feel right.

“Such cowards… to trap me and corner me… you must be real proud of yourself,”

Yuto blinked, his pupils dilating as a wave of illusion passed over Kouta… revealing a skeletal form for a brief moment.

Yuto’s breath caught in his chest.

“How do you kill a wraith Yuto? How do you kill a walking corpse in disguise?”

Yuto’s head spun… the crystal gains strength from life source… it was one of the reasons he was so confident in fighting a whole army by himself… there was so much energy for him to drain and at a mere glance his opponents could feel themselves weakening. But Kouta’s presence was like someone cutting off his oxygen supply.

“When… how…. but we saved you!”

“Yuto, you know how the crystal works… the miracles you performed were at the cost of something… you healed the disease of your people at the expense of the crystal’s own reservoir of energy with the promise of a grand sacrifice of your entire kingdom in the end. That boy, Ryutaro… he was born a healer, healing magic ran through his veins… the crystal just fed on it… granted him other abilities. He had a large enough pool of energy for the crystal to be so attached to him. I did not suffer a disease… I was cursed with dark magic. He did what he thought was best, he allowed the crystal to extend my life but he did not have a life to offer in exchange… guess what happened after that?”

Yuto felt his being vibrate as Kouta kept taking slow steady steps towards him.

“Necromancy,” he found himself saying. Kouta grimaced as if the very thought disgusted him.

“The crystal took my life so the curse ended with it… but somehow… I ended up a walking talking corpse… a being that appeared human, memories intact but no soul… not granted peace due to the unholy practices employed upon my body. I’ve been empty since the day I left to sacrifice my life for you and your family… but I’d rather be dead then watch the person I cared about the most in the world sacrificing everyone else I love,”

Yuto felt his wings sag to the ground and his body along with it but held up his hands up in defence as Kouta caught him before he hit the ground.

A few minutes ago… Yuto had felt nothing, but now… with an ice cold version of a man who had been only second to his parents growing up… he felt terrified… as if the crystal itself was shuddering in fear.

Kouta tightened his embrace, fingering a stray curl from the King’s head… smiling at the jet black colour.

“It’s time to end your reign my sweet King, end the reign of the crystal that like to play with its food… and grant the human inside of you… grant my trapped soul… grant this Kingdom… peace,”

Yuto gasped as he felt something sharp pierce his chest… right through his beating heart. He clutched at Kouta’s shoulders, clawing at him as he felt the pain spreading through his being.

“No… please….,” he rasped as a bright light began to surround them both.

“Don’t fight it Yuto…,” Kouta said kindly, pulling apart to let Yuto watch as a skeletal form took over his previous human appearance.

Yuto clutched himself… the pain turning into something warm as he felt his wings dissolve into scattered feathers.

He reached out to touch Kouta’s face as it regained the flesh and skin and the colour and glow and saw him smile at him, so wide and bright and loving and felt a warm tear fall from his eye as his old friend turned into specks of bright light. All his human emotions…. everything he had ever felt came rushing back.

The vines around him exploded into bright colourful glowing petals and the blade that was stuck in his chest dissolved into nothingness.

There was so much light around his form that when he turned around and spotted Kei sprawled on the ground, the elf was struggling to keep his eyes open.

“Please tell Yuri… I’m sorry,” he said before the light became too much and he felt himself falling into the deepest of slumbers…. never to wake.  


  
~*~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a couple of things;
> 
> The vines were Ryosuke's powers... but since the black crystal lost its original host... it joined the dominating part... Yuto's crystals thus granting Yuto the power of both parts.  
> Necromancy is the black magic to animate the dead... in most lores and stories... I'm using it in this way.  
> Kouta maintained human qualities based on the memories he possessed. It's a recurring theme since Crystal!Yuto had no new feelings just the memories of them.  
> No one was aware of what happened to him. Not even Ryutaro.  
> There is a reason Daiki's crystals (as in his effect on the crystal that would have either been Yuto's or Ryosuke's aka the green one) worked for a reason; explained in the Epilogue...  
> With the core hosts gone... the remaining crystals are just plain stones with no power and can be easily crushed. 
> 
> More in the Epilogue.


	46. Epilogue

It felt like a breath of fresh air; like he was suddenly breathing after being submerged underwater and it felt great.

He had never felt more alive.

Huh, the irony.

It was beautiful. The ground was a soft carpet that smelled like grass should on a breezy summer day and the hedges flanking the green green path leading off into the light stood tall and proud.

He squinted against the brightness. He could make out a bridge.

There was a sudden gust of wind and then a weight on his back and if he wasn't already dead then maybe he could have died from a heart attack. 

Feeling the warmth and breaking into a smile at how familiar it was he quickly reached back to grab hold of the pair of legs and then regained his balance.

"Are you trying to choke me Ryosuke?"

The culprit sniggered, his grip around the taller man's shoulders tightening.

"That didn't take long at all, and I thought I would have to wait forever to cross that bridge!"

Ryosuke yelped and almost fell off as Yuto attempted a failed kiss.

"Don't get gross on me dude!" he whined as Yuto trudged forward, cackling dramatically.

"That's one thing you won't let me do huh Ryo-chan?" 

Red in the face Ryosuke chose to ignore the statement, pouting instead.

"Are you planning to let me carry you all the way? You aren't exactly featherlight you know?"

He flinched as Ryosuke flicked his ear before grumbling out a low "It's your punishment for being an idiot."  

Yuto felt his eyes get a little misty as he realized Ryosuke was clutching onto the white material of his shirt almost desperately.  

He wanted to tell him that he was right there. He was real. They were real. 

Shaking his head with a smile, he adjusted the other better before starting out a ridiculous story about finding a new castle to live in and getting someone to bake them cupcakes as they made their way towards the bridge and to whatever lay beyond.

Ryosuke couldn't keep the smile off his face either.

~*~

When the citizens of Valian’s capital returned to their city; they found most of it intact except for the great mass of rubble in place of the ancient Castle. Yuma and the rest of the boys of Daiki’s team had managed to rescue Ryutaro before the castle had collapsed.  
  
By the foot of the rubble where the gate leading to the castle grounds used to stand, a search party led by Zach and Lady Amaya discovered a pod of sorts with a casing made by interwoven wood and vines. They were careful in breaking the cast and were surprised to find Daiki’s prone form lying in a bed of petals within it.  
  
He was alive and well but in a deep sleep.  
  
He awoke 3 days later with his memory completely erased.  
  
Zach was named temporary Regent and a council was established under him.  
  
Valian was making the move towards Democracy.  
  
The black stones had dulled and turned to ashes.  
  
The few remaining Sinister Sages were captured and executed.  
  
Zach’s leadership skills, Lady Amaya’s experience and the vigor of the nation’s youth began to steer the Kingdom back to stability as a trade and industrial member of the region.  
  
Zach’s biggest regret was his inability to repair the terrible image of Ryosuke that had been conjured up by the people… an image that the previous King had bolstered and encouraged over the years. Most were relieved by his passing.  
  
What hurt most was Daiki’s indifference to this feeling, since he had no memory of Ryosuke at all.  
  
He wondered if Ryosuke had intended it to end like this.  
  
  
  
The battle at the Plains of Akatsuki had resulted in a lot more death than anyone could have predicted. The soldiers had surrendered as soon as it was announced that their King had died; damaged, tired and defeated.  
  
The surviving elves had taken their fallen comrades and left immediately without a backward glance.  
  
Hikaru had searched for Kouta… unable to believe anything Kei had told him.  
  
A grand funeral was held… honouring the fallen and Akatsuki’s young king followed by three days of mourning.  
  
For the nation… the King had died in a political struggle… but had kept his people safe.  
  
The blue stones had dulled and turned to sand.  
  
Keito had realized that both Yuya’s sister, Lady Kaede and Yuto’s advisor Totsuka were missing when he was given the possessions Yuto held when he died. The king had been wearing two bands of gold on each finger.  
  
He knew one was his cousin’s engagement ring… but he couldn’t figure out why he would be wearing two.  
  
Yuto was never too fond of trinkets for some reason. His only precious piece of jewelry was the brooch that was now just a metallic mold devoid of crystals.  
  
Keito held a nationwide search for the three missing people and despite his efforts, they could not be found.  
  
Hikaru had taken the loss of both his childhood best friends really bad and was incapable of returning to his life at the guild. Yuya’s death felt unnecessary and cruel… and he could not find anything in his heart to forgive Yuto for it. He felt repulsed at the mere sight of the castle.  
  
Yuri offered him a place by his side; a permanent home in Leirion.  
  
He accepted and took Daiki with him.  
  
They ended up opening and running a well-loved bakery together.  
  
Akatsuki took a while to stabilize… people were shaken but the kingdom had a very strong alliance and aid from both the elves and the more politically powerful Valian.  
  
Keito was crowned King in 6 months… after successfully removing his Kingdom’s dependence on supernatural sources of fuel and instead led the Kingdom towards cleaner, more natural sources of energy.  
  
He also released his mage from her services and married her.  
  
They had a son together.  
  
They named him Yuto

 

**10 years Later**

 

 

    

“Kaede?”  
  
The woman looked up from the book she had been reading and smiled at her best friend.  
  
“Totsu isn’t back yet,” she replied and grinned as the woman rolled her eyes before wiping her wet hands on her apron.  
  
“I hope he remembers the way home, it’s a pain to have to live so far from the city,” Yurika grumbled, taking the chair opposite her.  
  
“But I thought you preferred the country life?”  
  
Yurika made a face.  
  
“Not when the closest city is a day’s walk… we have our own farm and water but sometimes I just miss being around… you know…  more people,”  
  
Kaede smiled sadly.  
  
“You miss home?”  
  
“This country is not so bad… but I always regret running out on my brother… I wonder if he’s okay,”  
  
“I’m sorry Yu, it’s my fault,”  
  
“Don’t take it that way Kaede! You and your kid are so important to Totsu and I… we would do anything necessary to ensure your safety,”  
  
“I know... and thank you Yu. It's just I’m not sure what his Highness had in mind when he said that his son was to grow up far from Akatsuki… at least until he’s ready,”  
  
“Ready?”  
  
“I don’t know… but I was too stunned Yuto knew about… you know… 'him' in the first place… we hadn’t been married long,”  
  
Kaede stared at her ring… the dull stone and its never ceasing dull glow. A mystery… just like Yuto… and just like her one and only son… a child her husband had named before he was born.  
  
Both women jumped as the door burst open and Totsu strode in; a large bag over his shoulder and a 10-year-old boy by his side.  
  
“Well hello dear husband,” Yu commented helping him with his bag and returning his hug.  
  
Kaede opened her arms for her son, his eyes shining with excitement… very much like the stone on her ring.  
  
“Welcome home… Ryosuke.”  


  
~*~

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so yeah I'm sorry for how ridiculously long this is and I might have gotten carried away with the lore and the places and the expanding family trees lol. A big thanks to everyone who actually stuck with it. Your patience is extraordinary and I can't be more grateful <3
> 
> I hope to be able to write better in the future but I hope some of you had as much fun reading this as I had writing... hopefully lol.
> 
> so Thanks again!


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